A Trans-National Smart Manufacturing Education Hub Erasmus Project

Project Title

A Trans-National Smart Manufacturing Education Hub

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

This project will establish a Trans-National Smart Manufacturing Education Hub (Smart-Man) focusing on advancing Industry 4.0 educational activities at all institutions involved in the programme. This will be achieved through the design of industry-attuned and accredited new curricula and adaptation of existing curricula for undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuous professional development (CPD) training programmes, and the development of bespoke CPD leadership programmes to support Industry 4.0 champions within companies.

Confirmed partners include the Queen’s University Belfast (UK), South East Regional College (UK), University of Limerick (Ireland), and National Technical University of Athens (Greece).

The Smart-Man project will have the following objectives:
1. Development of a new international curriculum model in the area of mechatronics for manufacturing.
2. Introduction of new degree pathways for fresh industry entrants that are fit for the highly skilled workforce of the future with direct input from global manufacturing knowledge.
3. Design of new training pathways for the current low skilled manufacturing workforce in each Programme Country bringing them up to at least the minimum standard required to enable them to compete in this rapidly advancing industry. This will include a mix of apprenticeship training programmes as well as new undergraduate and graduate degree programmes to upskill the existing workforce.
4. Development of a lifelong training pathway for the existing workforce in the manufacturing industry that is responsive to continuous technological advancements which will enable them to maintain a competitive edge throughout their career.
5. Embedding of mobility in the curriculum through placements, exchanges, summer schools, and joint project supervision.
6. Introduction of a joint programme between the partner institutions and beyond, which will allow access to knowledge and deliver skills from diverse fields in Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science and Mathematics, as need to address the challenges of factories of the future.
7. Embedding of sustainability as an integral part of the curricula with key principles derived from the UN Sustainable Development Goals in order to train the workforce of the future to have a mindset orientated towards environmental and social sustainability.

Impact
From student’s perspective, by participating in the training programmes, they will gain the necessary work skills that prepare them for a successful career in Manufacturing within the Industry 4.0 framework. Absorbing different technologies and scientific fields in a curriculum is a critical challenge for the potential workforce, which can be tackled only by actions initiated and nurtured by international frameworks. The expected impact on the academics involved is expected to be equally valuable and important , as the development of a joint programme including courses such as ‘Manufacturing Cyber-Physical Systems’ and ‘Industrial Internet of Things’ will create opportunities for (i) developing methods for teaching new, timely skills much needed in Industry 4.0 workforce and related researchers, and (ii) creating new research paths and enriching existing collaborations between academics from the four participating institutes.

Potential Long Term Benefits
As industry embraces digitalisation technologies to meet the demands of consumers with regard to mass customisation, quality and cost, while at the same time delivering economically, environmentally and socially sustainable manufacturing into the future, it needs to have recourse to a versatile and digitally skilled work force. The skills gap in this regard is a major barrier for many companies, and is a recognised constraint on economic growth and competitiveness of the manufacturing sectors in the partner institution countries, and across Europe more generally. The Smart-Man project will tackle this problem head-on by aiming to deliver a continuous supply of high quality graduates for the factories of the future.

Project Website

http://smartedu40.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 388886 Eur

Project Coordinator

THE QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST & Country: UK

Project Partners

• South Eastern Regional College
• NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS – NTUA
• UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK