COMMON EUROPE CONGRESS 2025: Full Schedule

WELCOME TO COMMON EUROPE CONGRESS 2025

Common Europe, in collaboration with Common Sweden, is delighted to be holding its annual flagship event, Common Europe Congress, in the friendly city of Gothenburg offering extensive education, networking and relaxation opportunities.

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

13:40 CEST

World Café - The Gender Bug in Tech: Can we fix it together?

Tuesday June 3, 2025 13:40 - 14:40 CEST

13 - Expo Stage

Diversity makes teams better – this is especially true in IT. But women are still underrepresented in technical professions. In this interactive session, Heidi and Ann-Kathrin will combine personal experiences and scientific findings: Why is diversity worthwhile? What skills does IT really need? And what are the myths we finally need to overcome?
In an open World Café roundtable, we will discuss exciting ideas with a clear goal: to inspire men and women alike to make the future of IT more diverse.
Join us – whether you are a career starter, a professional, or a manager!

Speakers

Ann-Kathrin Stückl

UI/UX Product & Strategy Consultant, PKS Software GmbH

I build bridges between people and generations and break down barriers between them. I analyse and create applications that precisely meet the needs of the people who actually use them and support them in their work. To do this, I talk to users as equals, get to know their working... Read More →

Heidi Schmidt

CEO, PKS Software GmbH

Women in Tech since 1996
Loving software development and the sustainability aspects on IBM i and IBM Z
unconditional respect, the miracle of appreciation and ayurveda have accompanied my life since 1972

mother of two sons and lucky to live in partnership with a wonderful photo-enthusiast in the south of Germany, closed to the lake of constanze and the mountains... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 13:40 - 14:40 CEST
13 - Expo Stage

Personal Development

14:00 CEST

AI Throughout Your Day!

Wednesday June 4, 2025 14:00 - 15:00 CEST

08 - R11/R12

Tired of all the hype surrounding AI? Would you like to be more productive using AI - today - but you're not sure where to start? Or maybe you've scratched the surface with AI, but want to learn more? Either way, this is the session for you! Here we skip the theory and dive straight into real-world applications that boost productivity and streamline daily tasks using AI based tools. Join us for this session and leave with tangible skills to supercharge your productivity, while producing better results, with less effort!

Join this session to learn how to:
- Craft professional emails, reports, and letters in a fraction of the time
- Dive into data analysis without the headache
- Help you write code better and faster
- Unlock your creative side to make art you'll be proud of - even if you can't draw a straight line!
- Use AI throughout your day for personal and fun tasks as well as at work
- Get the most out of the many diverse AI tools available today for maximum productivity
- Whether you're new to AI or just looking for practical ideas, you'll leave with real examples and skills you can start using immediately for both professional and personal tasks. Join us to learn how to put AI to use for you today!

Audience:
Everyone who is curious about AI and would like to be more productive at work and in their personal life will benefit from this session. AI isn't just for data scientists anymore - it's a valuable tool we can all benefit from every day!

Speakers

Steven Wolk

CTO, PC Richard & Son

Steven Wolk is the CTO for PC Richard & Son. Founded in 1909, PC Richard is a family owned and operated chain of over 65 appliance, electronics, and mattress superstores located throughout NY, NJ, CT, and PA. Steve's deep background in retail began on the sales floor while in college... Read More →

Wednesday June 4, 2025 14:00 - 15:00 CEST
08 - R11/R12

Personal Development, AI

15:20 CEST

It's How you Say It. A Guide to Effective Public Speaking

Wednesday June 4, 2025 15:20 - 16:20 CEST

02 - F4/F5

An introduction to techniques and exercises to help you look after, develop and use your voice effectively for public speaking. This practical overview offers advice and tips for handling nervousness, correct breathing, tone, creating vocal variation etc. to actively engage with your audience .

Speakers

Jonathon Sawdon

Executive Secretary, Common Europe

Jonathon is a professional actor, writer, drama teacher, presenter and voice coach.
He has several film and TV credits to his name, has appeared in numerous corporate films and advertisements as well as various corporate and commercial voice overs.
He also works in the business sec... Read More →

Wednesday June 4, 2025 15:20 - 16:20 CEST
02 - F4/F5

Personal Development

10:30 CEST

It's How You Say It: A Guide To Effective Public Speaking

Monday June 15, 2026 10:30 - 11:30 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

Speakers

Jonathon Sawdon

Executive Secretary, Common Europe

Monday June 15, 2026 10:30 - 11:30 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

11:50 CEST

It's How You Say It: A Guide To Effective Public Speaking Part 2

Monday June 15, 2026 11:50 - 12:50 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

An in-depth practical session to develop and build vocal delivery and confidence for public speaking. Following the content from part 1, this session allows you to practice the exercises and techniques using speeches and texts in a group environment and receive feedback on your 'performance'.

Speakers

Jonathon Sawdon

Executive Secretary, Common Europe

Monday June 15, 2026 11:50 - 12:50 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

14:00 CEST

Roundtable discussion: IBM Power skills gap in Europe - What can we do about it?

Monday June 15, 2026 14:00 - 15:00 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

Monday June 15, 2026 14:00 - 15:00 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

15:55 CEST

Role of User groups, Why join, why create

Monday June 15, 2026 15:55 - 16:55 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

Ranga Desphande

Monday June 15, 2026 15:55 - 16:55 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

17:05 CEST

Beyond Chatbots: Understanding the AI Agent Revolution

Monday June 15, 2026 17:05 - 18:05 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

The AI landscape is shifting from chatbots to agents—autonomous systems that can reason, plan, and take action on our behalf. This session offers a high-level tour of the latest developments shaping agentic AI in 2026. We'll explore emerging open source frameworks gaining traction in the developer community, examine new capabilities like tool use, multi-agent collaboration, and long-term memory, and break down the architectural patterns teams are using to build reliable agent systems. Whether you're evaluating where agents fit into your organization or simply want to understand what's driving the hype, this session will give you a practical map of the current landscape and where it's headed next. No prior AI experience required.

Speakers

Adam Shedivy

Software Developer, IBM

Adam is a software Developer working on Agentic AI solutions for IBM i

Monday June 15, 2026 17:05 - 18:05 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

08:00 CEST

The Human Edge: How to Stay Relevant in an AI World!

Tuesday June 16, 2026 08:00 - 09:00 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

Worried about what artificial intelligence means for your job or your future? You’re not alone. As AI becomes capable of writing, coding, analyzing, and creating, it’s easy to wonder - what’s left for us humans?Join this session to learn exactly where your human edge lies - and how to use it to thrive in the AI era. You’ll discover how timeless human skills like creativity, empathy, communication, and judgment are not only irreplaceable, but also essential to getting the best results from AI - transforming it from a threat to an incredibly powerful ally!Through humor, relatable stories, and real-world examples, Steve will show you how to:Apply human strengths to communicate better with people and AICollaborate effectively when your “teammates” include intelligent technologyNegotiate and resolve conflict with confidence and empathy using AI as your personal coachBuild stronger relationships with people – and yes, with your AI assistants!Market yourself and your value in the age of automationStay adaptable, confident, and indispensable as work continues to evolveTurn your human edge into your ultimate advantage!Audience:Anyone who works with other people - or with AI - will benefit from this session! If you’ve ever wondered how to stay relevant - or even ahead - in an AI-driven world, this session is your playbook. You’ll leave energized, hopeful, and ready to use what makes you human as your ultimate competitive advantage!

Speakers

Steven Wolk

CTO, PC Richard & Son

Tuesday June 16, 2026 08:00 - 09:00 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

10:30 CEST

Ready for that next step? Why the hell do you want to be in IT management?

Tuesday June 16, 2026 10:30 - 11:30 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

Thinking about that next move? Want to be a manager or team lead, but not sure if it's for you? Come hear about my career journey and what I have learned since taking that step. You'll understand what you'll need in your toolbox to make that step, what it may be like for you in your organisation and discover if you've got what it takes to lead people or if you'd just prefer to stay technical.

Speakers

Mike Davison

Support Manager, Fortra

Mike has worked on IBM equipment in IT Operations since starting on the 4381 running VM/VSE as a trainee Operator in 1987. He's worked for blue-chip companies in global data centres and has a varied 30+ years’ experience of IBMi, AIX, VIOS, Linux, storage and disaster recovery... Read More →

Tuesday June 16, 2026 10:30 - 11:30 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

11:40 CEST

Are you a Sail or an Anchor?

Tuesday June 16, 2026 11:40 - 12:40 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

Throughout your career you will be placed into many situations. You will work with peers, subordinates and superiors. You will work with vendors and customers. You will work with those inside and outside of Information Technology. All of those people will form an opinion of you. What will it be? Each time you meet a challenge, each time you are asked for your opinion, each time you will provide input. In what manner will you respond? At the end of the day, will people think of you as a Sail or an Anchor?

Speakers

Larry Bolhuis

Principal IBM Power Systems Architect, Service Express

Larry has grown up with computers since his father became a CE in 1967. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Calvin College in 1982.After 2 years working with early PCs and servers her began working on IBM midrange equipment with the S/34 and S/36 He moved to AS/400 at its introduction In 1988. Early in his career he was a developer, then migrated to networking, system design, upgrades and general systems... Read More →

Tuesday June 16, 2026 11:40 - 12:40 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

14:00 CEST

From AI to EQ: 10 Ways to Elevate Your Professional Skills

Tuesday June 16, 2026 14:00 - 15:00 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient for success. Professionals must complement their hard skills with strong interpersonal and adaptive capabilities to thrive in client engagements and leadership roles. This session, From AI to EQ: 10 Ways to Elevate Your Professional Skills, explores practical strategies to elevate your effectiveness as an IT professional or technology leader. We will cover ten essential techniques, including active listening, empathy, positive facilitation, whiteboarding, AI literacy, delivering compelling presentations, conducting peer reviews, preparing executive briefings, understanding leadership styles, and practicing emotional intelligence. Attendees will gain actionable insights and tools to communicate with clarity, foster collaboration, leverage AI responsibly, and lead with confidence. Whether you are engaging clients, presenting to executives, or guiding teams, these skills will help you make a lasting impact.

Speakers

Ian Jarman

IBM Expert Labs Practice Leader, IBM

A leader in the IBM Systems community, Ian has managed IBM's worldwide portfolio of IBM Power Systems software products, including IBM i, AIX, Linux, PowerVM and PowerHA. His specialties include worldwide brand and product management for enterprise IT systems, software and services... Read More →

Tuesday June 16, 2026 14:00 - 15:00 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development

15:55 CEST

A Life in IBM i: What Hundreds of Conversations Have Taught Me

Tuesday June 16, 2026 15:55 - 16:55 CEST

07 -RHÔNE 4

After decades in the IBM i community, and through hundreds of conversations with developers, leaders, innovators, and business owners, clear patterns have emerged.
Not just about technology, but about the people, purpose, and what truly sustains this platform across generations.
With real stories, hear a unique perspective on the human side of IBM i, and what it takes to carry it forward.

Speakers

Charles Guarino

CEO & IBM Champion, Central Park Data Systems

Charles Guarino believes in the “power” of IBM Power Systems. His career reflects his dedication and interest in bringing the platform and its solutions to others and as a result has been recognized as an IBM Champion.

He is a member of COMMON’s Speaker Excellence Hall of Fame and a proud recipient of the Al Barsa Memorial Scholarship Award. Additionally, he participates on COMMON’s Strategic Education Team. Other professional endeavors have included the roles of President and monthly Q&A host... Read More →

Tuesday June 16, 2026 15:55 - 16:55 CEST
07 -RHÔNE 4

Personal development