CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND: The fourth industrial revolution is emerging from the introduction of several technological advancements in the way we design and engineer enterprises and their manufacturing and support systems. One important dimension of this transformation is that for the first time technology is not seen simply as a new mean to promote economic growth but also as pivotal element that will enable a greener future. The UN have suggested through their 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a goal to promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. This includes a specific requirement to harmonize the technological development and the future of environment and society. This fast and structural shift has the potential to reshape completely the industrial landscape. Higher education must keep the pace of this process by ensuring that incumbent as well as newly graduates have no gaps or mismatch between their skills and what is required by the labor market. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this initiative is to bring together excellences in manufacturing research in order to define and deliver the new competences required by future engineers working in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. In doing so particular emphasis is given to the aspect related with a sustainable transition to the digital era. TARGET GROUPS AND RELATED BENEFITS: An estimated number of 5000 people will benefit from the project activities during and beyond the initiative. In detail: - Learners from involved organisation: they will have access to a broader spectrum of courses. - Graduate students working in industry and practitioners: the courses and tools developed by the maestro initiative will be also available for these categories as single educational units - Teaching staff from involved organisation: they will have opportunity to broaden their teaching portfolio. - Involved organisation: they will have opportunity to benchmark best practices and consequently exploit synergies to offer an up to date educational portfolio for different engineering profiles. ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY: In order to successfully implement the project, it has been structured in four phases, closely connected to the development of the intellectual outputs, which will be carried out through the 36 months project period. The phases are as follows: 1) Identification the academic and industrial contributions that are shaping the fourth industrial revolution. Emphasis on technologies implemented in line with the objectives proposed by the UN Agenda for sustainable development 2) Definition of new engineering profiles including the selected desired skills.This includes the description of specific learning outcome addressing gaps and mismatches identified in the previous phase 3) Embodiment of the learning outcome in constructively aligned pilot courses that will be run at the single institution 4) Implementation of the stakeholder feedback on the pilot course, validation and release of thefinal education units 5) Definition of cooperation beyond the project to exploit the produced contribution: these includes but are not limited to joined profiles, double-degrees, students and teaching exchange. RESULTS AND IMPACT: The main outcome of the initiative will be a series of up to date course based on academic and industrial contribution (see O3 and O4) on the following topics: • Virtual reality, augmented reality • Additive manufacturing • Industrial Internet of things • Autonomous Robot and Human robot cooperation • Sustainable Business Models: Shared Economy and Circular Economy • Multi Agent based distributed Control • Machine Learning • Big data • Block chain and cybersecurity All the courses will highlight theories and practices supporting the objectives of the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development. Other outcomes of the project includes: 1) A research diary with the most important contribution and practices in the industry 4.0 domain with focus on sustainability issues (see O1) 2) Engineering profile description including relevant and updated skill in the industry 4.0 domain with focus on sustainability issues (see O2) 3) Training activities for the partners (see C1 and C2) 4) Multiplier Event (see E1-E2-E3) 5) Long term cooperation and synergies between the involved organizations (O5) This will strengthen the education portfolio of the participating institution and increase the employability of the involved learners. POTENTIAL LONGER TERM BENEFITS: The main benefits of the Maestro initiative are planned for, and will be seen in, the long term. The creation of a shared and synergic education portfolio will strengthen the single HEI ́s offer across the whole spectrum of technologies featuring the fourth industrial revolution. At the same time it will be the ideal platform to define joined research endeavours and distribute talents where they are needed in the Union.
The MAESTRO consortium had specific objectives that achieved through the implementation of this project. The primary goal was to bring together the best in manufacturing research to define and deliver the new competences required by future engineers working in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. Particular emphasis was placed on the sustainable transition to the digital era. MAESTRO deemed critical to consider the impact of these new technologies on sustainability and to equip engineers with the tools and knowledge they needed to create sustainable solutions. Therefore, the objective was not only to provide a method but also examples of how new technologies could be included in engineering curricula, highlighting their impact on the sustainability dimension. Through this project, the consortium addressed the gap between the skills required by the labor market and the current engineering curricula. The aim was to ensure that graduates were equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to a sustainable and digitally advanced manufacturing industry. In doing so, MAESTRO aimed to create a sustainable future for all, where technology is harnessed to promote growth while also preserving the environment.
The MAESTRO consortium applied for this project because of the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution, which was characterized by the introduction of various technological advancements in the design and engineering of enterprises, their manufacturing, and support systems. The consortium recognized that technology was not just a means of promoting economic growth but also an essential element in enabling a greener future. In detail, the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provided a specific goal to promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. This included the need to harmonize technological development with the future of the environment and society. It was clear that this fast and structural shift had the potential to completely reshape the industrial landscape. The project addressed the need for higher education to keep pace with this process by ensuring that incumbent as well as newly graduates had no gaps or mismatch between their skills and what was required by the labor market.