As part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Industrial Engineering studies at IQS, a round table was held on 26 March focusing on the present and future of the profession from diverse and complementary perspectives. The event, entitled “Crossed perspectives on engineering: experience, leadership and future”, brought together top-level professionals from the industrial, business, institutional and academic spheres, with the aim of reflecting on the evolution of the role of the industrial engineer in a context of profound technological, economic and social transformation.
Professional experience, leadership and future challenges take center stage in a round table within the framework of the 25th anniversary of Industrial Engineering
The session opened with a welcome address by Dr. Jordi Díaz, Dean of the IQS School of Engineering‑URL, who highlighted that this meeting forms part of the programme of events commemorating the 25th anniversary, conceived not only as a celebration of the path travelled, but also as an opportunity to think about the future of both the degree programmes and the profession itself. In this regard, he underlined IQS’s commitment to offering spaces for shared reflection among industry, academia and professional institutions.
The round table was moderated by Dr. Josep Maria Puigoriol Forcada, Associate Professor and researcher at the Industrial Product Engineering Group (GEPI), who led an open and dynamic discussion on the current state of industrial engineering and the major challenges that will shape its evolution in the coming years.
The panel featured Xavier Agustín, Manager Complete Vehicle Testing and Q‑Building at SEAT, S.A.; Enric Blasco, founding partner and CEO of IDP Ingeniería, Medio Ambiente y Arquitectura; Virginia Espinosa, Associate Professor of Electronic Engineering and Coordinator of Industrial Engineering Degrees at the Polytechnic University School of Mataró (Tecnocampus); Pere Homs, General Director of Enginyers Industrials de Catalunya; Delfí López, General Director at Engind; and Pol Morral, Engineering Manager at ILAMCO.
In an initial diagnostic round, the speakers agreed that the profession is at a key moment, marked by high demand for technical profiles, but also by increasing complexity in industrial environments. It was emphasized that industrial engineering is once again occupying a central position, acting as a bridge between technology and society’s real needs, with a clear responsibility in generating progress and well‑being.
Throughout the session, several major vectors shaping the sector’s immediate future emerged. Artificial intelligence featured prominently in the discussion, both for its transformative potential and for the governance and judgment challenges it poses. The panelists agreed that AI has not only come to stay, but will profoundly change the way industrial systems are designed, managed and optimized, and that industrial engineers have a key role in guiding this change with meaning and purpose.
Sustainability was identified as another fundamental axis. The need to address the energy transition, production process circularity and environmental responsibility was stressed not as an option, but as a global imperative. In this context, it was noted that industry and engineering must take responsibility for both future challenges and the consequences of past decisions, moving towards more responsible and resilient models.
Digital transformation, Industry 4.0 and 5.0, data analytics, the digital twin, cybersecurity and the growing integration of software in sectors such as automotive completed a debate that highlighted the scale of the change already underway.
Another central topic was the evolution of the professional profile of industrial engineers. In the face of increasing technical specialization, participants reaffirmed the value of a transversal, integrative and system‑level profile, capable of leading multidisciplinary teams, managing complex projects and making decisions with global impact. The importance of lifelong learning, intellectual curiosity and competencies such as empathy, communication, critical thinking and humanistic leadership was underscored.
The session closed with a clear message addressed to new generations: the profession faces a demanding but opportunity‑filled future that requires commitment, responsibility and optimism. Students and young professionals were encouraged to take an active role in transforming industry and society through engineering.
25th anniversary of Industrial Engineering at IQS
This event was the fourth session in the programme of activities celebrating the 25th anniversary of Industrial Engineering at IQS, a cycle that over recent months has highlighted both the role of engineering in society and the diversity of professional profiles within it. The first session, held in autumn, advocated for female leadership as a driver of change in the sector; the second meeting emphasized the strategic importance of industrial engineering in the face of energy and technological challenges; while a third session focused on research and knowledge generation as key pillars of the profession’s future.
The commemorative cycle will conclude with a final closing event on 5 June, at which IQS will look to the future of Industrial Engineering studies and inaugurate the new pilot plant, a key infrastructure for the institution’s future that will include the reorganisation and expansion of laboratory areas, as well as the incorporation of new state‑of‑the‑art equipment.