
2023 is already shaping up to be a thrilling year for global L&D events, whether in-person, online, or in a hybrid setting. During these global conferences, experts will share top Learning and Development trends, best practices in learning leadership, ways to connect global workforces, and tech-driven eLearning strategies, among many other edge-of-your-seat topics. L&D specialists, learning academies, LMS providers, course authoring software companies will be among those showing you their latest solutions, emerging ideas, and innovations. By attending, you’ll better understand how to help global employees feel, do, and perform their absolute best on the job.
Here’s a Smartcat rundown of some must-visit Q1 and Q2 events happening around the world in 2023:
1. 23rd People Development Summit
- March 8-10, 2023
- Barcelona, Spain
- Email for registration fees
- In-person
Run away to beautiful Barcelona for a few days to attend the People Development Summit. What awaits you this year in Spain? The conference will cover topics such as new trends in L&D, data-driven digital learning, improving employee retention, the future of learning, inclusive leadership, and well-being, to name just some. The speakers will give inspiring talks on topics such as:
- Leadership climate: creating an inclusive culture
- What is really connecting people to your business?
- Bringing commerciality to learning
- Strategic workforce planning - it's more than just the numbers
2. Learning Solutions Conference & Expo
- April 12-14, 2023
- Orlando, USA
- Free-to-attend Expo and Full Conference ranging from $1,695 to $1,895 ticket prices
- In-person
A recurring and industry-leading conference, Learning Solutions & Expo, promises to be an insight-packed event where international learning professionals gather to attend practical sessions, network, and hear inspiring talks.
At this year’s keynote, Mike Massimino, NASA Astronaut and Senior Space Program Professor at Columbia University, will discuss “Learning’s Role in Innovation and Problem Solving.” The conference will cover categories such as augmented and virtual reality, data and platforms, emerging technologies, and gamification.

3. ASU+GSV Summit 2023, BRAVE NEW WORLD
- April 17-19, 2023
- Manchester, UK
- Ticket prices start at $3,200
- In-person event
Going 13 years strong, the ASU+GSV Summit 2023 will welcome 5,200+ registered attendees, leading innovators, experts, movers, and shakers, and is an event L&D professionals prefer not to miss. They’ve had a hard-to-beat line-up of past speakers, such as Barack Obama, Priscilla Chan, Condoleeza Rice, Bill Gates, Mindy Kaling, and Gloria Steinem.
So, what’s on the agenda for this year? You can join the Star Track portion of the event on April 18 to hear from Articulate CEO, Lucy Suros, Stride CEO, James Rhyu, and Coursera COO, Shavran Goli. All of these people represent important platforms for workplace eLearning and L&D training materials. The full program of presentations, speeches, panels, and networking breaks is available upon registration.

4. Learning Technologies 2023 Conference + Exhibition
- May 3-4, 2023
- London, UK
- Early Bird £1195 + VAT
- In-person and online event
Europe’s leading conference in tech-supported workplace learning will run for the 24th time this year. The Learning Technologies 2023 Conference and Exhibition awaits 9,000 attendees from 50 countries and will host 200 seminars and 200 webinars. The exhibition is free to attend and showcases the latest learning technologies and rising best practices that companies need to drive team success and satisfaction today. The conference portion will hold more than 30 interactive sessions, 90 speeches, and networking rounds to share ideas between industry pros.
This year's topics include data, AI, personalization, and analytics. Some stand-out talks of note are:
- Emerging technologies: The new shape of learning technologies – what’s coming, and are we ready?
- Collaborative learning: Beyond formal learning – helping people learn for themselves and with others
- Learning leadership: From training delivery to strategic business partner – lessons from a transformative journey
- Change management: the essential missing element in your implementation plan

5. ATD 2023
- May 21-24, 2023
- San Diego, USA
- Tickets start at $1,995
- In-person and on-demand virtual content
ATD23 Conference and Expo’s slogan “Create a world that works better” already foreshadows the meaningful and rewarding experience that L&D professionals will have during the four-day summit. And the keynote speakers say it all:
- Adam Grant – one of the world’s 10 most influential management thinkers, Fortune’s 40 under 40, #1 New York Times bestselling author of five books, and host of WorkLife, a top TED original podcast
- Priya Parker – author of leading business book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, executive producer and host of the New York Times podcast, Together Apart, TedTalk and TedTalk speaker
- Leslie Odom Jr. – Tony & Grammy Award-Winning Artist, Academy Award nominee, most recently starred in the film Glass Onion next to Daniel Craig and Janelle Monae
The event will see 7,500 people take part. It will include 300 exhibitors and numerous exciting live and online sessions, such as:
- A Distracted Mind: How Digital Devices Change Memory and Learning
- Launching and Onboarding ERGs in Your Workplace: A How-To Guide
- Sticky Content: How to Make Your Training Sessions Memorable

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