As we bid farewell to 2023, it's time to take a look back at the pivotal moments and transformative events that defined the landscape of Learning Technologies this year. Let's take a look at the highlights of Europe's leading workplace learning event, the anticipated follow-up forum, the prestigious awards gala evening, and our ongoing webinar series...

 

May 2023: A global gathering of visionaries

Back in May, ExCeL London saw the return of the annual Learning Technologies Conference & Exhibition. Europe's leading workplace learning event brought 10,000 learning professionals together for two days of conference sessions, free seminars, and endless networking opportunities with like-minded individuals. 

The Learning Technologies Conference returned with over 1,000 conference delegates, 90 industry-leading speakers and 30 conference sessions worth of content. The conference sessions were , and discussed and debated the latest hot topics of L&D — from immersive technologies including AI, to professional development and learning analytics. Words from conference Chair, Donald H Taylor: ‘Last year’s Learning Technologies was both exhilarating and exhausting. The joy of meeting again in person after two years of lock down was palpable. This year was more measured. Purpose replaced exhilaration. The air was still filled with voices, but now each conversation focused, one way or another, on a simple question: what is the nature of this change we are undergoing, and how can we best prepare for it?’

Hosting over 200 leading L&D suppliers, the Learning Technologies Exhibition hall was packed with 10,000 visitors and more than 200 seminars free to attend. The vibrant exhibition floor saw everything from gamification platforms, a real-life robot, and the latest technologies innovating the L&D space. There was plenty of content to choose from with the free seminars running every 45 minutes and 3 Bitesize Learning Zones showcasing live demos of L&D products. The buzz was truly alive on the exhibition floor and online — our hashtag #LT23UK was trending on Twitter and we even had stormtroopers roaming the floor for Star Wars Day!

Get a feel for the magic or re-live the event with our highlights video:

 

October 2023: The unique follow-up

When autumn arrived, the Learning Technologies Autumn Forum took centre stage. This year's edition was hosted online to reach an even wider audience of over 2,000 participants, and delved deeper into the evolving landscape of learning technologies. The unique follow-up to Europe's leading workplace learning event was spread across four days in the space of two weeks, with each day featuring three online sessions. These interactive talks sparked discussion and inspired new ideas that the audience can actively implement in their organisation's L&D landscape.

All the Learning Technologies Autumn Forum 2023 sessions are available to watch online here, so you can re-live the experience or discover what you missed!

 

November 2023: Celebrating excellence in L&D

November brought the prestigious Learning Technologies Awards, a celebration of excellence in the L&D industry. The gala evening took place at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in the heart of London, and featured a champagne reception, 3-course dinner, and fabulous entertainment throughout the night.

With over 400 entries received, our independent judging panel from The Learning Network carefully selected this year's winners. The categories ranged from 'Best use of mobile learning' to 'Most innovative new learning technologies product', with some featuring international awards. Attendees came from all across the globe, to recognise excellence in another big year for the L&D industry. The Learning Technologies Awards gala evening served not only as a recognition of achievements, but also as a source of inspiration for the industry to continue pushing boundaries in the years to come. 

We extend our congratulations to all shortlisted and our 2023 winners, and thank everyone for making the gala evening a night to remember. You can explore the full winners list from this year here.

 

LT Webinars: Empowering minds online

Throughout the year, the Learning Technologies Webinar series continues the ever-changing conversation of the L&D landscape. Our ongoing series has attracted people all across the world to join interactive sessions where everyone's voice is heard and valued. Webinar host Donald H Taylor encourages discussion and debate from the audience, and to get involved with our engaging speakers.

Over the course of this year, we have run over 25 webinars exploring the latest and greatest in the L&D space. Topics have ranged from the growing power of AI coaching, to tips on how to get the most out of L&D tech investments. Our webinars are brought to life by industry-expert speakers, success stories from case studies, and, of course, the audience's thought-provoking discussions. 

The webinars will return in January 2024, kicking off the new year in true Learning Technologies-style. These sessions are open to all and free to attend, so watch this space for the latest updates so you don't miss out!

 

Looking forward: What does 2024 hold for Learning Technologies?

We can already say that 2024 is set to be another jam-packed year. We're coming into the month first with our Paris event, Learning Technologies France, taking place on 24 - 25 January at Porte de Versailles. The Learning Technologies Conference & Exhibition will return once again to ExCeL London on 17 - 18 April, with the Autumn Forum and Awards events coming in towards the end of the year for an unforgettable experience. We're excited to bring the L&D community together again to learn, network, discuss and celebrate everything that 2024 holds for the industry...