ELASTIC Participates in the “Women in ICT Standardisation” Webinar – 5th Edition

On 20 March 2026, the “Women in ICT Standardisation” webinar – 5th edition will bring together experts, researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives to discuss how to strengthen the participation and visibility of women in the development of ICT standards.

The online event is organised within the European ICT standardisation ecosystem and aims to promote dialogue on diversity, inclusion, and equal participation in standards development.

This year, StandICT.eu joins forces with several key EU-funded initiatives, including ELASTIC, EDU4Standards, CYBERSTAND.eu, and SEEBLOCKS.eu, alongside the Women in Telecommunications and Research (WiTaR) Working Group.
Together, these initiatives are working to promote stronger engagement of women in ICT standardisation activities and to foster a more inclusive standardisation community.

ELASTIC Representation in the Webinar

The ELASTIC project will be represented by Despoina Kopanaki, who will participate as one of the speakers.

Despoina Kopanaki is a Senior Project Manager at the Technical University of Crete and an active member of the WiTaR Working Group of the 6G Infrastructure Association. Through her work in European research and innovation projects, she contributes to strengthening collaboration between research communities, industry stakeholders, and standardisation bodies.

Her participation in the webinar highlights the importance of connecting European research projects with international standardisation efforts, ensuring that innovations developed within EU-funded initiatives can contribute to shaping future digital standards.

Addressing the Gender Gap in ICT Standardisation

Technical standards are fundamental for ensuring interoperability, security, and large-scale adoption of digital technologies. They influence a wide range of areas, including connectivity, cybersecurity, cloud and edge infrastructures, artificial intelligence, and future 6G systems.

Despite their importance, women remain underrepresented in many standardisation activities. Initiatives such as the Women in ICT Standardisation webinar series aim to address this imbalance by creating a platform where experts can share experiences, discuss challenges, and promote strategies that support greater participation of women in standards development organisations.

By highlighting the contributions of women actively engaged in the field, the webinar also aims to inspire new generations of researchers and professionals to take part in shaping future digital standards.

Topics of the Webinar

The fifth edition of the webinar will focus on several key themes, including:

  • challenges affecting women’s participation in ICT standardisation

  • initiatives and actions aimed at improving gender balance in standards development

  • experiences from women actively contributing to international ICT standards

  • opportunities for researchers and professionals to engage in standardisation processes

The discussion will bring together speakers from European institutions, research organisations, and standardisation initiatives, creating an opportunity to exchange perspectives on how diversity can strengthen the quality and impact of ICT standards.

Standardisation and European Research Projects

For research and innovation initiatives such as ELASTIC, engagement with standardisation activities is essential. Standardisation helps translate research outcomes into widely adopted technologies and supports interoperability across digital infrastructures.

Encouraging broader participation in these processes, including greater representation of women, helps ensure that future standards reflect the needs of a diverse digital society.

📅 Date: 20 March 2026
💻 Format: Online webinar

More information about the event is available here:
https://standict.eu/events/webinar-women-ict-standardisation-5th-edition

Register here: 

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