What happens when you replace a traditional conference with two days of hands-on collaboration?
At the Industry 5.0 Summer Sessions, held on 24–25 June 2026 in Kortrijk, Belgium, participants discovered exactly that. Organised by our sister project PROSPECTS 5.0, together with the Horizon Europe projects SEISMEC, BRIDGES 5.0, and SkillAIbility, the event brought together companies, researchers, and innovation experts to explore what Industry 5.0 looks like in practice as a way of transforming workplaces.
Instead of passive presentations, the Summer Sessions focused on interactive learning. Companies worked on real organisational challenges through hands-on laboratories, cross-sector discussions, and collaborative roadmap-building exercises. The common message throughout the event was clear: Industry 5.0 is not a label or a certification. It is a continuous process of integrating technology in ways that strengthen human well-being, resilience, sustainability, and organisational performance.
Designing Technology with People at SEISMEC Workshop
One of the highlights of the programme was the SEISMEC Hands-on Learning Lab on Technology Acceptance and Human-Centric Integration, led by Dr Selma Toktas (Erasmus University Rotterdam). The 90-minute workshop welcomed 32 participants from different industrial sectors, who actively explored how workplace technologies are accepted, questioned, resisted, and ultimately shaped by workers.
Using storytelling, practical exercises, and examples from the MC Sonae and Dijleland SEISMEC pilots, participants reflected on their own experiences with digital transformation. The workshop introduced the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) alongside the SEISMEC AGILE Guidebook, demonstrating how organisations can move beyond technology deployment towards genuine worker participation through co-creation, feedback, testing, adaptation, and shared learning.
Working in groups, participants transformed real technology acceptance challenges into practical participation plans, showing how worker concerns can become opportunities for collaboration and innovation. The session reinforced a key Industry 5.0 principle: successful technology implementation depends not only on technical excellence, but on trust, transparency, inclusion, and the active involvement of the people who will use the technology every day.
Building the Future of Human-Centred Industry
Throughout the Summer Sessions, participants left with practical tools and roadmaps to support their own Industry 5.0 journeys. Discussions consistently highlighted that digital transformation succeeds when organisations balance technological innovation with worker well-being, skills development, and meaningful participation.
The event also demonstrated the value of collaboration between European sister projects. By bringing together complementary expertise from SEISMEC, PROSPECTS 5.0, BRIDGES 5.0, and SkillAIbility, the Summer Sessions created a unique environment where companies could learn from real experiences, exchange ideas, and explore practical solutions to common challenges.
As Europe continues its transition towards more human-centred, resilient, and sustainable industries, initiatives like the Industry 5.0 Summer Sessions show that meaningful change happens when people and technology evolve together. For SEISMEC, the event was another opportunity to demonstrate that worker participation is a fundamental ingredient for successful digital transformation.
You can check the agenda here.