Presidency School of Artificial Intelligence & Advanced Computing (PSAIAC), in association with the Office of International Affairs, Presidency University, organised an International Panel Discussion on Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) on 28 October 2026 at the Presidency University Auditorium. The session brought together four distinguished international academics and experts from Germany, Taiwan and Russia to explore the evolving role of FDEs in addressing complex real-world challenges through technology-driven solutions.

The panel featured Prof. Dr Timo Baumann, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, OTH Regensburg, Germany; Prof. Dr Oliver Stein-Schmidt, Professor of Mathematics, OTH Regensburg, Germany; Prof. Dr Arun Kumar Sangaiah, Distinguished Professor, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan; and Prof. Dr Alexander S. Geyda, Professor at RANEPA, St Petersburg, and Chief Researcher at the Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The discussion examined how FDEs bridge the gap between technological innovation and practical implementation through user collaboration, rapid prototyping and measurable real-world outcomes. Key themes included technical ownership, data quality, AI robustness, security, explainability, human oversight and responsible technology deployment, alongside emerging trends in generative AI, autonomous agents, digital twins and simulation.

The panellists also emphasised the importance of trust, accountability, governance and continuous improvement, highlighting how multidisciplinary projects, industry collaboration, problem-solving, communication and impact-oriented learning can prepare students for future FDE careers. The programme concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, enabling students and faculty members to engage directly with the experts. The discussion offered valuable insights into the future of engineering and underscored the importance of technical expertise, user collaboration, responsible innovation and lifelong learning in shaping the next generation of technology professionals.