Event

EPR Annual Conference 2024 – AI and New Technologies for Inclusion: Leaving no one behind in the digital transition

This Conference was delivered in English and IS

As the Europe Union prepares to embrace the future with Artificial Intelligence (AI), setting the stage for a regulatory framework in the ever-evolving landscape of AI, EPR is excited to have co-organised with Fundación ONCE and with the collaboration of our esteemed Spanish members – Fundación INTRAS, Fundación Rey Ardid and AURA Fundació –  this year’s Annual Conference in the vibrant city of Málaga, Spain, on 18 and 19 June.

The Conference brought together EPR community of members, partners and policy makers to learn from each other and exchange ideas on how we can “future-proof” our services and safely harness the rapidly increasing opportunities from technological advances in AI and assistive technologies.

Over a period of 1.5 days of dynamic discussions and networking sessions, the event enabled us to focus on the opportunities and risks of embracing AI and new technologies to deliver services to people with disabilities in the present and future.

Aims of the Conference

The right technologies can be life-changing for people living with a disability and will be essential in supporting our ageing population with disabilities. However, there are limitations and risks to such rapid technological transformations in terms of ethics, bias and transparency. This conference aimed to provide a platform for participants to discuss these opportunities and risks by:

• Supporting service providers to understand the new generation of technology: Who’s behind its development, what values and ethics drive it, how transparent is it and how can ensure it is an empowering tool for people with a disability and not yet another barrier due to bias.
• Hearing from first-class experts and practitioners: Immerse participants in the latest trends, innovations, and best practices with insights from experts.
• Sharing inspiring practices: Showcase and exchange inspiring practices that harness the power of AI, assistive technologies, and other cutting-edge tools.
• Promoting networking: Foster connections and collaborations among our members and guests.
• Embracing the EPR community: Celebrate the essence of being part of EPR and the continued growth and prosperity of our network.

Presentations

• The Impact of AI on the Future of Work by David Timis, Generation
• When does a patient become a person? Moving towards a technology enabled and community based continuity of supporting services. Part I by Furio Gramatica, Fondazione Don Gnocchi
• When does a patient become a person? Moving towards a technology enabled and community based continuity of supporting services. Part II by Giada Venier, Fondazione Don Gnocchi
• When does a patient become a person? Moving towards a technology enabled and community based continuity of supporting services. Part III by Malcom MacLachlan, Maynooth University
• InclunIA, by Borja García Rubio, Fundación ONCE
• Autism Foundation Finland, by Timo Heiskala, AFF
• Physical Rehabilitation at Home. The SHAPES and the MIRATAR projects by Maria José Santofimia, University of Castilla-La Mancha
• Envision. Perceive possibility by Bhagya Goonewardhane, Envision Technologies
• “Ergasia Mou”: The first Greek e-platform for job matching for employers and people with intellectual and neurodevelopmentaldisabilities by Elli Kafritsa, MARGARITA VTC
• Delivering systematic interventions by Gorka Espiau Idoiaga, Agirre Lehendakaria Center for Social & Political Studies
• The Inclusive Revolution. New Art Practices for Robust AI Services by Manuel Delgado Meroño

Practicalities

FEE (excluding VAT)
Organisations in: Austria, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, UK, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Finland, Malta, Ireland, Czechia, Slovenia, Estonia, Iceland, Luxembourg.

• EPR members:  150€ per person
• Non-members: 210€ per person

Organisations in: Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Greece

• EPR members: 110€ per person
• Non-members: 155€ per person

Organisations in: Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia (and other countries with a GDP which is below 60% of EU average)

Non-members: 125€ per person

CONFERENCE VENUE
The conference was held at Hotel ILUNION MÁLAGA, at Paseo Marítimo Antonio Machado, 10, 29002 Málaga, Spain. This 4-star hotel is located in the heart of central Málaga, near the beach and the high-speed (AVE) railway station, its central location ensures easy access, making it an ideal choice for hosting our conference.

As part of the Hotel ILUNION chain, owned and operated by ILUNION, a brand of the ONCE Social Group companies, this venue aligns with a unique commitment to integrating people with disabilities into the workforce and promoting accessible tourism for all. Remarkably, over 40% of the hotel staff have some type of disability, reflecting ILUNION’s dedication to inclusivity.

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS

EPR has prebooked a limited number of rooms for our conference at Hotel ILUNION Málaga to ensure you get the best rate. The booking reference has been sent to EPR members via email.

For other convenient accommodation close to the conference venue at Hotel ILUNION Málaga, we recommend exploring nearby hotels that offer both proximity and reasonable prices. Some suitable options include:

Economic Range:

• easyHotel Malaga (2 min.)
• Hotel Zeus Malaga (2 min.)
• Ibis Malaga Centro Ciudad (20 min.)

Mid-High Range:

• Hotel Guadalmedina (8 min.)
• Eurostars Malaga (9 min.)
• Mariposa Hotel (12 min.)
• Room Mate Valeria Hotel (10 min.)
• Hotel Soho Boutique Malaga (14min.)