ISM at the Stuttgart Science Festival 2026
What skills will people need for the future and how can they develop them? What role will artificial intelligence (AI) play? These were the key questions explored by ISM professors and industry experts on 2 July during the Stuttgart Science Festival at ISM's Stuttgart campus.
Professor Andreas Helferich, Head of the Stuttgart Campus, highlighted the importance of bringing science into dialogue with society: "Especially in times of rapid change, it is no longer enough to share knowledge only within the university. We want to engage with students, businesses, alumni and the wider community to discuss what these changes mean for learning, working, and leadership."
Which Future Skills Matter Most?
Resilience will remain one of the most important personal competencies for the future, as Professor Tanja Engelmann (ISM Stuttgart) explained in her presentation. At the same time, artificial intelligence has become a key priority for businesses seeking to remain competitive in the years ahead. Rafy Ahmed, Founder and CEO of saved lab GmbH, demonstrated how small and medium-sized enterprises can successfully adopt AI solutions—even without programming expertise. However, AI alone is not enough. As Professor André Reichel (ISM Stuttgart) pointed out, human judgment and strategic decision-making remain indispensable. In a world shaped by geopolitical fragmentation, ongoing transformation, and systemic uncertainty, these capabilities are essential for organizations to navigate change successfully.
The Future Requires Dialogue
The event concluded with a panel discussion on the question: What do businesses need and what do universities teach? How can meaningful dialogue help develop the skills needed for the future? Moderated by Julia Jaschinski, the panel featured Johanna Hailer (ISM Stuttgart), Joachim Aisenbrey, Managing Director of Breuninger's Stuttgart flagship store, Marc Schnelle, Head of Technology at GrowInTheRole and Dr. Sonja Sperber, Senior Research Scientist at WU Vienna. The discussion emphasized the importance of close collaboration between higher education and industry to ensure that graduates are equipped with the competencies needed in an increasingly dynamic world.
