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.
The primary aim was to fill the skills gap by delivering a range of new programmes related to Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. This includes: 1. Development of new international curriculum models in the area of mechatronics for manufacturing 2. Introduction of new degree pathways 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 including a mix of apprenticeship training programmes as well as new UG and PG degree programmes to upskill the existing workforce. 4. Development of lifelong training pathways for the existing workforce in the manufacturing industry. 5. Embedding of mobility in the curriculum through placements, exchanges, summer schools, and joint project supervision. 6. Introduction of joint programmes between partner institutions and beyond delivering skills from diverse science and engineering fields, as needed 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 SDGs to deliver a mindset orientated towards environmental and social sustainability.
The manufacturing sector is a key contributor to the GDP across the consortium with a significant potential for growth. In Northern Ireland, the sector sustains a quarter of all jobs employing over 10% of the workforce and contributing 14% of the region’s GDP. In the Republic of Ireland, manufacturing employs approximately 0.5 million people and accounts for 22% of Ireland’s GDP whilst in Greece, the contribution of manufacturing to the GDP is around 8%. The aim of the Smart-Edu4.0 project was to advance Industry 4.0 manufacturing related educational activities at all partner institutions. This was achieved through the design of industry-attuned and accredited new curricula, adaptation of existing curricula for UG, PG, and CPD training programmes, and the development of bespoke CPD leadership programmes to support Industry 4.0 champions within companies. A unique feature of the project was the exploration and integration of vocational routes into higher education as well as exploiting technical expertise available in vocational institutions. The project has enabled all partners to visualise and equip with comprehensive knowledge to impart relevant skillset to their stakeholders with sustainability as its core part.