The conference, which draws over 2,300 people from more than 100 countries to the German capital every year, has built a reputation for identifying new trends in learning and technology.

Rebecca Stromeyer, Chief Executive of conference organisers ICWE GmbH, says that plans for the opening session of the conference, which will feature a discussion between some of the world's leading futurists and experts on technology, are "very exciting and significant".

Stromeyer announced that the keynote speakers in OEB’s opening session, which will be chaired by renowned British TV presenter Nik Gowing, will be Professor Ian Goldin, the Director of Oxford University’s Martin Centre and a leading authority on globalisation and the impact of technology; Cory Doctorow, blogger, activist and science fiction writer; and David Price, the author of "Open: How We’ll Work, Live and Learn in the Future".

"This discussion really should not be missed by anyone with a serious interest in the future and in the implications of recent developments in media, computing, and communications technology. It is going to be one of the most exciting and important opening sessions we have ever had at OEB," says Ms Stromeyer. "It is taking place at a time when the world is waking up to the enormity of the change that the convergence of computing, media, and communications technology is bringing to our lives. Nothing will be the same again. All sorts of things are becoming possible, and the way we live, work and learn is going to be completely different. OEB’s opening session will be the fascinating prelude to two days of discussions involving the world’s leading experts about some of the implications."

OEB will also focus on the impact of developments in technology on the world of work and look into the new skills likely to be most in demand. A plenary session on the conference’s second day will focus on "Future Work"; the Business EDUCA track will feature a series of sessions on workplace learning; and this year's OEB debate will consider 21^st-century skills and whether traditional institutions are the best places to teach them.

OEB's "Spotlight Stage" will also play host to creative thinkers and innovators, including Professor Dr Luc Steels of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. As one of the pioneers of artificial intelligence, he is likely to attract a large audience to listen to his thoughts about what comes next.