Celebrating IEEE in the UK and the future of AI and automation at the Houses of Parliament

Professor Julie McCann, Director of the CHEDDAR Hub at Imperial College London, attended the Future Automation Industry Forum at the Houses of Parliament on 3 November 2026, joining representatives from government, academia and industry to celebrate the work of IEEE in the UK and Ireland and explore the future of artificial intelligence and automation.

Hosted by Yasmin Qureshi MP to mark the UK visit of Mary Ellen Randall, President and CEO of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the forum provided an opportunity to recognise IEEE’s contribution to engineering, research and innovation, while strengthening connections across academia, industry and government.

The event also featured an address by the Rt Hon Kanishka Narayan MP on the UK’s AI strategy, alongside discussions on emerging technologies, university engagement and the opportunities for collaboration in advancing innovation.

Celebrating IEEE UK and Ireland’s contribution to innovation

A central focus of the event was recognising the work of IEEE in the UK and Ireland and its role in bringing together researchers, engineers and industry professionals to advance technological innovation.

Professor Nagham Saeed, Chair of the IEEE UK and Ireland Section and a team member of CHEDDAR Hub, joined Paul Bermingham, IEEE UK and Ireland Industry Engagement Chair, to highlight the Section’s industry engagement activities and the importance of strengthening collaboration between universities and industry.

The programme also featured IEEE UK and Ireland Section Awards and networking opportunities, recognising achievements across the engineering community and encouraging new connections between researchers, industry representatives and professional networks.

Professor Saeed’s leadership and engagement with initiatives such as CHEDDAR reflect the value of these connections in bringing academic research closer to real-world challenges.

Professor Nagham Saeed said:

“We were honoured to host this prestigious event as part of IEEE UK and Ireland Week and to welcome IEEE President and CEO Mary Ellen Randall during her three-day visit across the UK and Ireland, including Bolton, London and Maynooth.

“Professor Julie A. McCann’s presence at our Houses of Parliament celebration reflects our appreciation for the CHEDDAR Hub’s significant impact on our IEEE community. The event showcased the vital role of collaboration between academia, industry and policymakers in advancing the future of AI and automation.”

Connecting AI and automation with future connectivity

The discussions around AI, automation and technological innovation closely align with CHEDDAR’s next phase of research, focused on Cognizant Convergent Connectivity.

Led by Imperial College London, CHEDDAR brings together researchers and partners to explore how communications, sensing, computing and energy can operate together within intelligent, AI-enabled network infrastructures.

The research aims to develop future networks capable of understanding and adapting to changing conditions, making more efficient use of resources and operating reliably in complex environments.

These capabilities have potential applications across healthcare, manufacturing and autonomous systems, where advances in connectivity, sensing and AI could support new approaches to monitoring, decision-making and automation.

Strengthening collaboration and real-world impact

As AI and automation continue to evolve, collaboration between universities, industry, government and professional organisations will be increasingly important in connecting research advances with practical needs and emerging priorities.

For CHEDDAR, engagement with organisations such as IEEE and participation in forums of this kind provide opportunities to contribute to wider conversations about the direction of UK technology research and the role of intelligent connectivity in future applications.

The event highlighted the value of bringing together expertise across sectors to support innovation and help shape technologies that are secure, sustainable and responsive to societal needs.

Photo caption: From left: Professor Nagham Saeed, Chair of IEEE UK and Ireland Section; Mary Ellen Randall, IEEE President and CEO; and Professor Julie McCann, Director of the CHEDDAR Hub, Imperial College London, at the Future Automation Industry Forum, Houses of Parliament, 3 November 2026.