12th UCAAT – User Conference on Advanced Automated Testing

14-16 April 2026

Sophia Antipolis, France

Free of charge

Register now

UCAAT 2026: Augmenting Test Automation with Machine Logic and Human Insight

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About

UCAAT 2026 will take place in ETSI Headquarters in Sophia Antipolis, France, on 14-16 April 2026.

Overview

The annual ETSI User Conference on Advanced Automated Testing (UCAAT) is the most important point in the calendar of ETSI’s Technical Committee Methods for Testing and Specification (TC MTS).

ETSI’s UCAAT conference, now in its 12th year, is dedicated to all aspects of automated testing including model-based testing, cloud testing, mobile testing, test methodologies, test management and standardised test specification by focusing on the practical challenges that are often faced in industry and standardisation.

This conference brings together research and industry from different application domains such as telco, banking, IT services, automotive, robotics, healthcare, defence and software vendors to meet, discuss and share their practical experiences in the field of software testing. UCAAT is aimed specifically at test engineers, test designers, test automation experts, test tool and test service providers, as well as test and quality assurance analysts. More broadly, UCAAT is also of interest to engineers working in software development, automation, and DevOps, as well as project leaders or managers in digital transformation, and academics and researchers in the field of testing.

UCAAT gives attendees a unique opportunity to discover, share, learn, and challenge modern test automation approaches, technologies and strategies for research, industry and standardisation.

UCAAT 2026: Augmenting Test Automation with Machine Logic and Human Insight

As software systems grow in complexity, traditional test automation approaches often fall short in adapting to rapid changes and nuanced behaviours.

This conference explores the synergistic integration of machine logic—encompassing AI-driven automation, predictive analytics, and adaptive algorithms—with the contextual reasoning and strategic thinking unique to human testers.

By combining computational precision with human insight, we aim to redefine the boundaries of test automation, enabling more resilient, efficient, and intelligent testing practices.

Attendees will gain practical perspectives on hybrid frameworks, real-world applications, and emerging trends that bridge the gap between automation and human judgment.

The event is of particular interest for:

  • Test engineers, designers or test automation experts
  • Engineers working in test specification, automation, DevOps and RPA
  • Software developers or architects
  • Project leaders or managers in digital transformation
  • Test tool or service providers
  • Test and quality assurance analysts
  • Academics and researchers in testing

Subscribe to the ETSI Events mailing list and/or the UCAAT Mailing list to get the latest news about this event!

Programme

Day 01

Day 01

08:30

Registration and welcome coffee

10:30

Coffee break

11:00

Conference Tutorials and Workshops: Parallel Session 2

Tutorial 1 (part 2): Workshop model-based testing cyber physical systems
Machiel Van der Bijl, Axini and Jan Tretmans, TNO

Tutorial 3: Workshop plug & test: Mobile test automation with android
Boris Wrubel and Christian Musilek, Software Test

Tutorial 4: Testing in Rust: From zero to hero
Maria Shalnova-Weinzierl, Carl Zeiss Digital Innovation GmbH

12:30

Lunch

14:30

SESSION 1 - Generative AI & LLMs for test creation

Session Chair: Boris Wrubel, Software Test, Austria, member of the Programme Committee

This session focuses specifically on the application of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI to create, verify, and assist in writing test cases and assertions.

14:30. Duration: 30 minutes. LESS Guidance: Using LLMs for requirement formalisation and automated test case generation

Abhishek Shrestha, Fraunhofer FOKUS.

Co-authors: Holger Schlingloff, Jürgen Großmann, Fraunhofer FOKUS.

More Information

15:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Domesticate a developer’s targeted IA to produce better automated tests!

Woody Grochulski, Air France. Valerie Perez, Air France.

More Information

15:30. Duration: 30 minutes. ViTO – The Visual Test Oracle for GenAI-based assertions

Rahul Singh, Blue Yonder.

More Information

16:00

Coffee break

16:30

SESSION 2 - Validating AI agents and autonomous systems

Session Chair: Martti Käärik, Elvior, Estonia, member of the Programme Committee

These presentations address the complex challenge of testing the AI itself, specifically focusing on Autonomous Agents, probabilistic decisions, and Digital Twins.

16:30. Duration: 30 minutes. Automated testing of AI agents

Thomas Fehlmann, Euro Project Office AG.

Co-author: Eberhard Kranich, Euro Project Office AG

More Information

17:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Operationalising probabilistic decisions: Digital twins for validating AI

Marius Corici, Fraunhofer FOKUS.

Co-authors: Hauke Buhr, Manar Zaboub, Fraunhofer FOKUS

More Information

17:30. Duration: 30 minutes. When AI joins the test team: Experiences from selenium-based automation

Boris Wrubel.

More Information

18:00

End of day 1

Day 02

Day 02

08:00

Registration and welcome coffee

10:00

Presentation of posters and exhibitors

Session Chair: Rémi Caudwell, Sogeti, France, Programme Committee Chair

10:30

Coffee break

11:00

SESSION 3 - Testing IoT, embedded systems & robotics

Session Chair: Julien Binard, France Travail, France, member of the Programme Committee

A hardware-centric session dedicated to the unique challenges of testing physical devices, firmware, and compliance in the IoT and robotics space

11:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Warehouse automation & testing robots: An experience report

Mesut Durukal, Indeed.

More Information

11:30. Duration: 30 minutes. CertifIoT: Automating IoT regulation compliance on the smart home gateway

Anna Maria Mandalari, Mulini SRL.

Co-authors: Fabio Palmese, Hamed Haddadi, Mulini SRL.

More Information

12:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Detecting memory access violations in firmware fuzzing

Ramon Barakat, Fraunhofer FOKUS.

Co-author: Karsten Isakovic, Fraunhofer FOKUS

More Information

12:30

Lunch

14:00

SESSION 4 - Advances in Model-Based Testing (MBT)

Session Chair: Stephan Schulz, Giesecke + Devrient, Germany, member of the Programme Committee

This session groups presentations that explicitly utilize Model-Based Testing (MBT) methodologies to solve problems in regulated, medical, and security domains.

14:00. Duration: 30 minutes. From data model to test evidence: Human‑in‑the‑loop automatic test synthesis for GxP‑grade systems

Hans Christiaan de Raad, OpenNovations.

More Information

14:30. Duration: 30 minutes. Model based testing of the Bilihome medical device, an experience report

Machiel Van der Bijl, Axini.

Co-author:  Ronald Van Doorn, Axini

More Information

15:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Fuzzing + model-based testing = state-based fuzzing

Jan Tretmans, TNO & Radboud University.

Co-authors: Stefan van den Berg, Lars van Arragon, TNO & Radboud University

More Information

15:30

Coffee break

16:00

SESSION 5 - AI-enhanced test automation frameworks

Session Chair: Sergio Borghese, Kalliope S.r.l., Italy, member of the Programme Committee

This session focuses on the practical evolution of standard automation; using AI to improve existing frameworks (like Selenium/Playwright) via auto-healing and frugal strategies.

16:00. Duration: 30 minutes. KOGNY: An AI based toolkit for predictive maintenance

Ramon Barakat, Fraunhofer FOKUS.

Co-author: Yacine Rebahi, Fraunhofer FOKUS

More Information

16:30. Duration: 30 minutes. Frugal vibe testing

Yann Helleboid, Orange.

More Information

17:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Reinvent your automated tests with AI-powered self-healing

Antoine Bouchet, Qanary.

Co-author: Steven Pescheteau, Qanary

More Information

17:30

End of Conference day 2

18:30

SOCIAL EVENT, Hotel Mercure, Sophia Antipolis

Day 03

Day 03

08:30

Registration and welcome coffee

10:00

SESSION 6 - Strategic QA: Process, people, and human-AI collaboration - Part 1

Session Chair: Marija Jankovic, CERTH, Greece, member of the Programme Committee

This session explores the human and managerial side of QA: team dynamics, BDD processes, and the “human-in-the-loop” necessity in AI adoption.

10:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Human-in-the-loop hyperautomation: An AI-augmented modular framework for unified test domains and common reporting

Varvana Menta, Netcompany.

Co-author:  Rafael Tatse, Netcompany

More Information

10:30

Coffee break

11:00

SESSION 6 - Strategic QA: Process, people, and human-AI collaboration - Part 2

11:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Unseen battles: The odyssey of a test automation engineer in an ageing team

Jozsef Panczel, SAP AG.

More Information

11:30. Duration: 30 minutes. Stellar specifications: Elevating test reliability and reporting quality for astronomy software

Ahmed Mubbashir Khan, ESO.

More Information

12:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Beyond the hype: Practical lessons from integrating ML-driven test intelligence with human expertise

Tanvi Mittal, US Bancorp.

More Information

12:30

Lunch

14:00

SESSION 7 - Standardisation and industrial applications

Session Chair: Jan Tretmans, TNO, The Netherlands, member of the Programme Committee

This session covers testing in highly standardized environments (Telecoms, ETSI standards) and specific industrial applications (Predictive Maintenance).

14:00. Duration: 30 minutes. Can AI speak standards?

Martti Käärik, Elvior.

More Information

14:30. Duration: 30 minutes. Testing the conformance of mobile devices implemented based on the 3GPP standards

Olivier Genoud, ETSI.

More Information

15:00

Best paper award & conference closing

15:30

End of UCAAT 2026

Programme Committee

  • Remi Caudwell

    Rémi Caudwell

    Sogeti

    Programme Committee Chair. Rémi Caudwell is a distinguished leader in software quality engineering with over 30 years of experience driving innovation in testing services. Currently serving as a Manager of the Testing Center of Expertise at Capgemini Financial Services, Rémi […]

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    Read more about Rémi Caudwell

  • Daniel Ardelean

    Nokia, Romania

  • Julien Binard

    Julien Binard

    France Travail

    Julien is a seasoned QA and test automation expert with over 15 years of experience, including the past 8 years at France-Travail. He specializes in crafting effective test strategies and building automation solutions tailored for agile teams. Passionate about enabling […]

    Read more
    Read more about Julien Binard

  • Sergio Borghese

    Sergio Borghese

    Kalliope S.r.l.

    Sergio Borghese graduated in Electronic Engineering at University of Pisa (Italy). He worked as a software developer in several companies ranging from user applications to device drivers. He joined NetResults S.r.l. (now Kalliope S.r.l.) in 2011 as the product manager […]

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    Read more about Sergio Borghese

  • Alexis Despeyroux

    Alexis Despeyroux

    Testing Solutions and Services, France

    CEO, founder, and technology expert specializing in AI, web technologies, and SaaS platforms. He leads innovative ventures while mentoring future tech leaders. A seasoned public speaker, Alexis shares insights on AI and software testing at global conferences with a human-centric, […]

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    Read more about Alexis Despeyroux

  • Pablo Garcia

    Pablo Garcia

    Sharpness AB, Sweden

    Pablo started as a tester in 1996, since then he has worked in all from large programs overseas to small projects at home (Stockholm). He has educated over 2500 testers of witch 400 has been Nurses and Doctors, and over […]

    Read more
    Read more about Pablo Garcia

  • Florence Guerlais

    Florence Guerlais

    Air France KLM, France

    A career in IT at Air France, built upon a background in Applied Mathematics for Social Sciences, combined with a two-year degree (DUT) in Computer Science, later enhanced by a study leave at Polytech’Nice Sophia Antipolis. After working as a […]

    Read more
    Read more about Florence Guerlais

  • Marija Jankovic

    Marija Jankovic

    CERTH, Chair of ETSI TC MTS

    Dr. Marija Jankovic is a postdoctoral researcher at the Information Technologies Institute of CERTH. She specializes in technical interoperability, quality assurance, and the application of AI in software engineering. With over 15 years of experience in international standardization and collaborative […]

    Read more
    Read more about Marija Jankovic

  • Martti Kaarik

    Martti Käärik

    Elvior

    Martti Käärik is the Technical Director at Elvior, an Estonia-based company specializing in software development and testing solutions. With over 20 years of experience in developing test automation tools, Martti is one of the lead developers behind the Test Description […]

    Read more
    Read more about Martti Käärik

  • Raymond Knopp

    Raymond Knopp

    Eurecom, France

    Raymond is a leading figure in the OpenAirInterface (OAI) Community and has been instrumental in making open software for Radio Access Network a reality through contributions for two decades. He is one of the very first and one of the […]

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    Read more about Raymond Knopp

  • Anne Kramer

    Anne Kramer

    Smartesting, France

    Anne Kramer, Global CSM and Head of Training. Anne has been involved in software quality for over 25 years and has worked in many different projects, industries and roles. She is a well-known speaker at numerous conferences. She is also […]

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    Read more about Anne Kramer

  • Philip Makedonski

    Philip Makedonski

    University of Goettingen

    Dr. Philip Makedonski is a senior researcher at the University of Göttingen, He is researching software engineering and quality assurance at the University of Göttingen and contributing to TDL and TDL Open Source projects at ETSI.

    Read more
    Read more about Philip Makedonski

  • Baris Sarialioglu

    Barış Sarıalioğlu

    TesterYou, Türkiye

    IT professional with 20+ years of experience as Information Technologies Consultant, Software Engineer, Software Developer and Software Tester for many different organisations. Highly experienced in Software Development Life-Cycle, Software Project Management, Business Analysis, Agile Methodologies, Usability, User Experience, Quality Assurance […]

    Read more
    Read more about Barış Sarıalioğlu

  • Stephan Schulz

    Stephan Schulz

    Giesecke + Devrient

    Dr. Stephan Schulz is a Test Architect at Giesecke + Devrient Currency Technology. For the past 25 years he has been researching, educating, consulting, and authoring numerous publications and standards on test automation and model based testing.

    Read more
    Read more about Stephan Schulz

  • Naum Spaseski

    Naum Spaseski

    ETSI, France

    Naum Spaseski is a technical expert in ETSI. With a Master in software engineering from Université de Franche-Comté, he is a test engineer with a decade of experience in software testing. Previously, worked as a QA engineer in multiple companies, […]

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    Read more about Naum Spaseski

  • Szilard Szell

    Szilard Szell

    Eficode Oy, Finland

    Szilard is DevOps Transformation Lead, and Quality Coach with a proven track record in DevOps Transformation Programs. He has experience as an assessor, trainer, facilitator, and coach in Test Automation, Testing Processes, and Agile way of working. As a SAFe […]

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    Read more about Szilard Szell

  • Dirk Tepelmann

    Gematik

  • Sofia Tsekeridou

    Sofia Tsekeridou

    Netcompany SEE & EUI, Greece

    Dr. Sofia Tsekeridou is a Senior Research and Innovation Manager – Expert at the Research and Innovation Development Dept. of Netcompany SEE & EUI. She holds an ECE Diploma and a PhD in Computer Science, both from Aristotle University of […]

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    Read more about Sofia Tsekeridou

  • Jan Tretmans

    Jan Tretmans

    TNO & Radboud University

    Jan Tretmans is senior research fellow at TNO-ESI in Eindhoven (NL), and part-time Associate Professor in the Software Science group at the Radboud University (NL). Jan is doing applied research in the areas of software testing, and the use of […]

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    Read more about Jan Tretmans

  • Andreas Ulrich

    Siemens, Germany

  • Boris Wrubel

    Boris Wrubel

    Boris Wrubel has over 15 years of experience in software testing, specializing in test automation within agile environments. His expertise spans major projects in banking, telecommunications, and the public sector. For a decade, Boris was part of the Industrial Software […]

    Read more
    Read more about Boris Wrubel

Presentations

UCAAT 2026 presentations are available here.

Join ETSI's MTS Standardisation Efforts!

ETSI is at the forefront of Methods for Testing & Specification standardisation efforts, our initiatives include:

ETSI TC MTS:

  • Develop methodologies for standardised test specifications, including formal definition languages
  • Specify the required testing environment, covering operational and procedural aspects
  • Provide methodologies for test execution and results analysis
  • Evaluate methods and techniques for advanced and/or formal specification of standards, with respect to efficiency, quality, and testability
  • Collaborate across ETSI and with external Standards Development Organisations (SDOs) to ensure consistency, interoperability, and global impact

ETSI TC MTS WG AI (AI Testing):

  • TC MTS WG AI, focuses on standardisation methodologies that support trustworthy, testable, and auditable AI systems across the full lifecycle. The group develops frameworks for testing, documentation, certification, and conformity assessment, while also exploring how AI itself can automate and enhance testing and auditing activities. More information.

Call to Action!

  • ETSI TC MTS / WG AI has recently started a project to further develop the Technical Report TR 104 119. One objective of the project is to validate the documentation approach by creating documentation for some selected Use Cases of High-Risk AI systems and GPAI models. Interested parties are invited to submit their responses via this questionnaire.
  • Developers, providers and deployers are invited to provide their use cases along with corresponding requirements and, in return, receive EU AI Act–compliant documentation. More information.

Not yet a member of ETSI? Ready to take it a step further?

  • Joining ETSI means co-creating the standards of tomorrow, benefiting from an active international network, and increasing your impact by actively shaping the future of quantum cryptography and technology. Let’s talk!
  • Visit our Membership Page or visit our stand during the event.

Past UCAAT

UCAAT is an established series of annual events. Previous editions of the UCAAT have focused on different aspects of test automation following emerging trends through the years. Information about previous editions of the UCAAT, including the programmes and presentation slides, are available from the archived websites linked below. Browse through the archives and discover past experiences shared at UCAAT!

Posters / Exhibitors

Visit the following posters and exhibitors during the conference breaks!

Exhibitor

Qanary logo

Qanary

Read more
Qanary

Exhibitor

XQual Logo

XQual

Read more
XQual

Location

Event venue:

ETSI Headquarters
650 Route des Lucioles
06921 Sophia Antipolis
FRANCE

Tel: +33 4 92 94 42 00 (reception)

Information about the venue: ETSI – HQ Sophia Antipolis, contact details, travel, hotels, transport, visa

Contact us