EWF proudly marked its presence at the 79th IIW Annual Assembly and International Conference on Welding and Joining, held in Salzburg, Austria, from 12^th to 17^th of July 2026.

At the centre of EWF’s participation were the meetings of the International Authorisation Board (IAB), organised by EWF and bringing members together to address strategic and technical matters supporting the implementation and continued development of the Harmonised IIW Qualification and Certification Systems.

The discussions covered several key areas, including the competence units’ approach in training guidelines, access conditions, accreditation, the use of Artificial Intelligence, digital diplomas and cooperation with the IIW Technical Management Board (TMB). These exchanges provided an important opportunity to align perspectives and advance work on the consistent implementation of the IIW systems across different countries.

Building on these discussions, a dedicated IAB Workshop on Access Conditions provided space for a more focused exchange, resulting in several relevant ideas and suggestions to support greater harmonisation worldwide.

Alongside the IAB activities, EWF took part in several other institutional moments, including the IIW General Assembly, the Stakeholders Forum and the Members Meeting. The event provided an important opportunity to exchange knowledge, strengthen cooperation and engage with members, partners and professionals from the international welding and joining community.

During the Members Meeting, EWF presented an overview of its European collaborative projects, sharing recent developments, emerging results and upcoming activities across Research & Development and Education & Training. The EWF booth also served as a meeting point where visitors could discover the projects and connect with the team.

Beyond these institutional moments, EWF projects were represented across several parts of the IIW technical programme.

Within Commission XIV - Education and Training, INSPIRE, VR-VET and Skills4EII contributed to a joint presentation on innovative training resources, connecting digital platforms, immersive learning and evolving industrial needs. A second contribution to Commission XIV brought together AILEEN, RAISE and GREEN, focusing on the role of trainers in supporting quality, sustainability and innovation in vocational education and training.

ICARUS participated in Commission XVI - Polymer Joining and Adhesive Technology, presenting its approach to integrating sustainability and green skills into the professional preparation of adhesive bonding specialists.

At the IIW Symposium, Skills4EII and grAceful AM addressed competence development for Industry 5.0, with particular attention to inspection, certification, Artificial Intelligence and Additive Manufacturing.

The International Conference also provided an opportunity to present the work of DILAPRO and GREEN, connecting digital manufacturing, quality assurance and sustainable workforce development with wider discussions taking place across the sector.

EWF thanks everyone who participated in the IAB meetings and workshop, met the team, attended the project presentations and contributed to the discussions throughout IIW 2026.