Registration is officially open for the second Engage 2 Hackathon, taking place from 20 to 21 October 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia. Organised with the SESAR project AWARE, this intensive 24-hour competition challenges the next generation of aviation talent to solve a real-world predictive ATM task using exclusive datasets.
The registration deadline is 7 September 2026 at 11:59pm CET. All detailed guidelines, eligibility criteria, and the official registration form are hosted on our Wiki.
Before applying, please read all provided information carefully before registering. By enrolling in the competition, all participants officially accept and agree to abide by the full Terms & Conditions. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible teams.
The challenge: teams of 2 to 4 individuals will have exactly 24 hours to develop and submit an innovative digital solution.
Eligibility: open to all nationalities. Participants must be 18 or older and have fewer than five years of professional work experience.
Hospitality: one night’s accommodation at the iNova Hotel in Zagreb and scheduled meals are fully covered by the organisers. Participants must arrange their own travel.
The Grand Prize: the winning team will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Airspace World 2027 in Lisbon, Portugal, alongside exclusive industry networking opportunities.
The Engage 2 project successfully completed its third Open Day last week in Belgrade, marking another milestone in introducing students to the vast career landscape of ATM. Held as part of the“Transport and Traffic Business Days” (TTBD) organized by the Students’ Association of the University of Belgrade, the event fostered high levels of engagement and curiosity among the next generation of transport professionals.
Exploring the ATM career universe
On 22 April, the Engage 2 stand became a hub of activity. Students from the Department of Air Transport and Traffic, ranging from first-year undergraduates to Master’s level students, joined by peers from Logistics and Road transport departments, explored the diversity of roles within the sector. The interactive setup allowed participants to engage with project videos and detailed Job Cards, complete a digital survey to match their skills with one of the four Engage 2 job categories and take part in an “on-the-spot” ranking activity to visualize which specific roles resonated most with them.
Over 30 students completed the survey, with many others contributing to the visual ranking board. The results showed a spread of interests across the four pillars of the project:
Operational: high interest was noted in traditional and emerging roles like Air Traffic Controller and Remote Tower Operator.
Human-Centered: roles such as UX Researcher and HMI Designer saw significant engagement.
Regulatory & Planning: students showed a keen interest in Airspace Management & Design.
Technical & Innovative: the field remains a strong draw for those looking toward the digital future of aviation.
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Sky Roles: learning through play
The activity continued on 23 April with the interactive workshop “Sky Roles: The Guessing Challenge” More than 20 students participated in this fast-paced quiz, using clues to identify various ATM roles mapped by the project. The session was defined by a fun and competitive atmosphere, proving that gamified learning is an effective tool for demystifying complex career paths.
The two events not only met their objectives of collecting structured insights for project reporting but also succeeded in their core mission: encouraging students to reflect on their potential future in the ATM world.
A huge thank you to the University of Belgrade and all the students who brought such energy and insight to our stand.
As the aviation industry undergoes a period of unprecedented transformation, from the integration of U-space to the push for total decarbonisation, the need for fresh perspectives has never been greater. For many years, Engage 2 has collaborated closely with CANSO to bridge the gap between today’s industry leaders and the next generation of talent.
Tomorrow’s Voices is more than just a visit to a trade show; it is a gateway to a career in aviation. Registrations are now officially open. If you are a student or a young professional eager to define the future of our skies, we want to hear from you.
We are delighted to invite students and young professionals (aged 20–30) to join us in Lisbon from 26–28 May 2026 for a unique immersive experience.
A cornerstone of the Engage 2 contribution, the Inspirational Tours, will return this year in a reimagined format. Moving beyond traditional exhibition walks, the 2026 tours are designed to be more interactive and thematic. Participants will not only observe cutting-edge technologies but will engage in direct dialogue with the experts and visionaries behind them, exploring how research is being translated into real-world operational solutions.
Stay tuned to the Engage 2 website and our social media channels for further updates on the full programme and speaker line-up.
As the SESAR 3 Knowledge Transfer Network, Engage 2 remains committed to driving excellence in ATM research. We are pleased to outline our strategic calendar for 2026, featuring a series of high-level events designed to facilitate knowledge exchange, support the next generation of aviation professionals, and foster technical innovation across Europe.
Advancing transport research: TRA2026
The spring season will commence in Lisbon at the Transport Research Arena (TRA2026), taking place from 18 to 21 April 2026. As a cornerstone of European transport dialogue, TRA2026 provides an essential platform for Engage 2 to contribute to discussions on the digitalisation and decarbonisation of the aviation sector. We invite stakeholders to join us in exploring how our network’s research outputs are shaping the future of European mobility.
Local engagement: Belgrade Open Day
On 22 and 23 April 2026, Engage 2 will host an Open Day in Belgrade. This event is specifically designed to bridge the gap between education and industry, offering high school and university students a unique window into the future of aviation and ATM professions. Through interactive sessions and expert guidance, we aim to showcase the evolving career paths that will define the sector in the decades to come. Specific venue details and the full agenda will be published shortly.
Empowering the next generation at Airspace World 2026
From 26 to 28 May 2026, our focus shifts to Lisbon for Airspace World. We are happy to confirm the return of Tomorrow’s Voices, the programme dedicated to young professionals and students. Central to this initiative will be a new series of Inspirational Tours, offering participants curated access to industry pioneers and cutting-edge technologies. This programme remains a vital link between academic study and professional career paths in ATM.
Collaborative innovation: Hackathon #2 in Zagreb
In the final quarter of the year, Engage 2 will lead a technical Hackathon in Zagreb on 20 and 21 October 2026. This is a joint event organised in collaboration with the DIALOG and AWARE projects. By pooling expertise across different SESAR initiatives, the hackathon aims to solve complex operational problems through rapid prototyping and collaborative coding. It represents a unique opportunity for data scientists and ATM experts to work at the intersection of various research domains.
The highlights video and other materials of the Dissemination Event held in Bled, Slovenia, are now available. The gathering brought together experts from five SESAR projects – ASTRA, SynthAir, CODA, TRUSTY and Engage 2 – to discuss the integration of Artificial Intelligence within the ATM ecosystem.
The event focused on moving beyond the conceptual stage of AI to address concrete challenges such as system modernization, climate impact, and the evolving role of human operators. Key takeaways from the participating projects included:
Human-centric AI (CODA). Developing neuro-adaptive teaming where the system dynamically adjusts support based on the controller’s state.
The Trust Paradox (TRUSTY). Analyzing how technical explainability affects user trust, noting that excessive information can sometimes lead to cognitive overload.
Predictive Complexity (ASTRA). Using machine learning to identify traffic “hotspots” and support Flow Management Positions (FMP) with data-driven complexity scores.
Synthetic Data (SynthAir). Generating robust datasets to overcome privacy and scarcity issues in AI training.
Future outlook
Discussions during the event highlighted that the next decade of ATM will be shaped by the need for new ethical and regulatory frameworks. The transition of theATCOs from a tactical executor to a strategic manager remains a central theme, requiring evolved training and certification processes for AI systems that learn post-deployment.
As noted by Micol Biscotto (Engage 2 Coordinator), organizing joint events is a fundamental step for projects to share results and collaborate on common challenges, ensuring that research aligns with the operational realities of European aviation. The official presentations and technical slides from the event are also available for further review on the project websites.
The Engage 2 consortium made a significant impact at the 2025 SESAR Innovation Days (SIDs), held from 1-4 December in Lake Bled, Slovenia. As the flagship event for Europe’s ATM research community, this year’s conference highlighted collaboration as the “secret sauce” behind ATM transformation, a theme that resonates deeply with Engage 2’s mission to bridge the gap between academia and the aviation industry.
Championing young talents
Since 2023, Engage 2 has been dedicated to cultivating young talent in the ATM domain and this commitment was on full display in Bled. The project supported the attendance of three of its seven funded PhD candidates, along with an MSc student who has successfully navigated the sector with the guidance of Engage 2 mentors.
Their presence demonstrated to the wider SESAR community the consortium’s proactive approach to creating opportunities for early-career researchers. By facilitating these connections, Engage 2 continues to foster links between the next generation of innovators and the established aviation industry.
Leadership in technical sessions and expanding the knowledge hub
Beyond supporting students, Engage 2 partners played a central role in the event’s technical programme. Many partners served as moderators for various technical sessions throughout the convention, underscoring the high profile and expertise of the network’s researchers within the European ATM landscape.
During the plenary session, the Engage 2 Coordinator took the stage to highlight the project’s tangible achievements. Key milestones presented included the seven funded PhDs and the series of successful joint events organised across different projects, as well as the continuous popularity of the Wiki, the platform that will host the technical papers from this year’s SIDs edition, alongside archives from previous years. This initiative reinforces the Wiki’s status as a central repository for ATM knowledge, ensuring that the research shared at Lake Bled remains accessible to the community.
Advancing AI in ATM: joint dissemination event
Following the main conference, Slovenian week ended on December 5th with a joint final dissemination event titled “AI-based innovation in ATM: enhancing efficiency, trust and safety.”This event focused on the final results and achievements of four SESAR-supported exploratory research projects (TRUSTY, ASTRA, SynthAIr and CODA-ATC). Bringing together a total of 63 participants (21 onsite and 42 joining online), the session provided a platform to showcase innovations aimed at improving the European ATM network. Attendees engaged directly with project teams to learn about tested AI-based solutions, specifically in enhancing air traffic control efficiency; building operator trust in autonomous and AI-driven systems; ensuring the highest standards of safety in a digitalised airspace.
About SESAR Innovation Days
Hosted by Pipistrel and the University of Ljubljana, the 2025 SESAR Innovation Days brought together 450 leading researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to discuss the future of the Digital European Sky. For more information on the event and its outcomes, visit the SESAR Joint Undertaking news page.
We are pleased to invite the SESAR community to Athens for a two-day event dedicated to transforming airport operations and enhancing multimodal transport connectivity. Co-organized by Engage 2, FASTNet, JARVIS and AIA – Athens International Airport, which hosts the event celebrating its 25th anniversary, this event will bring together industry experts and SESAR projects to share insights on the “Digital European Sky” vision.
Day 1: Workshop on Thematic Challenge #2. The first day is dedicated to a deep dive into Thematic Challenge #2: Passenger-centric digital airport. Discussions will revolve around the concept of the data-centric airport, specifically analyzing passenger dynamics and movements within airport premises, and the implementation of virtual queuing systems.
Participants will engage in round-table discussions covering three critical clusters:
Passenger Experience
Operator Experience
Environmental Impact
Day 2: FASTNet Demo & Airport Visit. The second day offers a practical look at emerging solutions. Attendees will witness the FASTNet project demonstration, featuring operational concepts and validation results (Solutions 0346 & 0347). The event will conclude with an exclusive visit to the Athens International Airport, providing a real-world backdrop to our discussions on multimodal integration.
Engage 2 was proud to participate in the successful Aviation 4 Girls (A4G) 2025 event, hosted at EUROCONTROL HQ on November 10, 2025.
The event welcomed nearly 200 young participants from over 20 nationalitieson-site, with an additional 400+ livestream viewers joining remotely. Through captivating stories, live demonstrations and hands-on workshops, participants discovered the magic and limitless possibilities within aviation. The feedback from the attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with many leaving inspired to pursue careers in the industry, a testament to the impact of all the partners involved.
Highlighting future careers and innovation
In collaboration with AviAll – Aviation for All, Engage 2 played a role in showcasing the diverse career paths within ATM and the broader aviation ecosystem. We presented our Job Cards, offering the young audience a tangible look at the wide variety of roles available, helping to break down stereotypes and make the sector more accessible. Furthermore, attendees were given an exclusive first look at the matchmaking app, currently under development. This innovative tool is designed to help connect talent with opportunities, ensuring the next generation of professionals can easily find their place and thrive in the industry. The participation of Engage 2 and AviAll underscores a shared commitment to fostering a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce that will shape the future of aviation.
On Monday 10 November, Engage 2 will take part in Aviation for Girls 2025 – Girls in Command, an inspiring event dedicated to encouraging young women to explore careers in aviation organised by AviAll, the association founded in 2021 by Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) practitioners from across the aviation industry, working together to build a more diverse and inclusive sector..
As part of our commitment to fostering the next generation of aviation professionals, Engage 2 will bring its Inspirational Tour activity and a selection of Job Cards designed to showcase the wide variety of roles and career paths within Air Traffic Management and aviation.
Through these interactive materials, we aim to break stereotypes, promote inclusion, and empower young women to imagine themselves as future innovators, engineers, controllers, and leaders in the aviation domain.
This participation aligns with Engage 2’s broader mission to connect knowledge, people, and opportunities across the aviation research community, ensuring that the sky of tomorrow is open to everyone.
The final results and achievements of the SESAR-supported exploratory research projects TRUSTY, ASTRA, SynthAIr, CODA-ATC, alongside the transversal project Engage 2, will be presented at a joint final dissemination event focused on the application of AI in ATM. Registration is mandatory for both on-site and online attendance, register now.
Agenda
Event information
Date: 5th December 2025
Location: Rikli Balance Hotel, Lake Bled, Slovenia
Time: 9:00 – 14:00 CET
Format: Hybrid (On-site and Online)
The event “AI-based innovation in ATM: enhancing efficiency, trust and safety” will showcase innovations aimed at improving efficiency, trust and safety across the European ATM network. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with the project teams and learn about the tested AI-based solutions in areas such as enhancing air traffic control efficiency, building operator trust in autonomous and AI-driven systems and ensuring the highest standards of safety in a digitalised airspace.
This joint event underscores the collaborative effort within the SESAR framework to accelerate the delivery of the Digital European Sky through high-value research and innovation.
The detailed agenda and the online connection details will be distributed to registered participants in the coming weeks.
