Events

Secondment at the Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Thailand

By Dr. Marwa Ben Ali on May 28th, 2025

I completed a 5-week research visit at the Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Thailand, as part of the SME5.0 project – “A Strategic Roadmap Towards the Next Level of Intelligent, Sustainable, and Human-Centered SMEs.“

During my stay, I had the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities — from joining the 55th University Anniversary celebrations and visiting cutting-edge research laboratories, to delivering a masterclass on Industrial Energy Management and engaging in fruitful discussions.
Read more
Secondment Malta- Workshop

By Júlia Nazarejová on May 9th, 2025

As part of the outreach activities, a presentation was delivered at a workshop attended by university students and faculty.

Additionally, the secondment involved attending a workshop organized by SME partner Bernd Zunk, which provided valuable insights into practical industry perspectives.
Read more
Secondment Malta -Paper preparation

By Júlia Nazarejová on May 5th, 2025

During the secondment, work was undertaken on the preparation of a research article titled:
“Towards the Development of an AI Maturity Model for Human-Centric Manufacturing SMEs in Industry 5.0.”

The article is planned for submission to the 7th International Conference on Industry of the Future and Smart Manufacturing, aiming to contribute to the academic discourse on digital transformation and AI integration in the context of Industry 5.0.
Read more
Secondment Universidad del Salvador (USAL) Buenos Aires

By Walburga Kerschbaumer on May 5th, 2025

This report summarizes the activities carried out during the secondment period at the Universidad del Salvador (USAL), Buenos Aires, as part of the SME 5.0 project. The secondment was undertaken by Prof. Walburga Kerschbaumer from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and took place from 4 May to 2 June 2025. The purpose of this secondment was to strengthen academic and industrial collaboration in the field of digital transformation and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
During the secondment at USAL, the following key activities were conducted:
• Delivered a lecture for a Master’s class on the application of simulation in Additive Manufacturing to improve material and energy efficiency and improve product life cycle.
• Participated in company visits (OPmobility, Baltotextile) organized by Prof. Sergio Salimbeni from USAL and local business stakeholders.
• Held meetings with researchers to explore future collaboration opportunities in the areas of simulation and digital twin technologies.
• Met with directors of USAL institutes to discuss synergies and collaboration possibilities in research and teaching.
The secondment provided a valuable opportunity to engage with academic and industrial stakeholders in Spain, broadening the scope of collaboration and identifying mutual research interests in simulation, digital twin technologies, and SME transformation strategies.
Read more
Secondment at Chiang Mai University

By Leila Zare on Apr 30th, 2025

I had the great opportunity to do a secondment at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, where I collaborated with researchers from the Logistics Lab. My visit was part of WP9.1, Implementation Guidelines for Future Work in SMEs.

Chiang Mai University’s Logistics Lab provided a vibrant and inspiring environment. Its combination of advanced facilities and a collaborative spirit made it an ideal place to exchange knowledge and engage in productive discussions. During my stay, I worked on activities related to WP9.1 and had the chance to discuss the challenges and potentials of SME 5.0 with local researchers, gaining valuable insights into how emerging logistics practices can support small and medium-sized enterprises in the transition to more sustainable and human-centric models.
Read more
Visit to CMU International Engineering Zone

By Leila Zare on Apr 25th, 2025

As part of my secondment, I had the opportunity to visit the International Engineering Zone at CMU, hosted by Prof. Korrakot Yaibuathet Tippayawong. The visit focused on discussing ongoing research activities and potential collaborative initiatives related to SME 5.0. In addition to gaining valuable insights into engineering applications supporting SME development, we also explored the evolving concept of future work within the SME 5.0 transition. This exchange reinforced our shared commitment to advancing the goals of SME 5.0.
Read more
Remanufacturing Case Study

By Lasse Streibel on Apr 10th, 2025

On April 10th, 2025, I supported a case study workshop on remanufacturing, engaging a group of international students in hands-on problem-solving.

The students worked in teams to analyze the challenges and opportunities of implementing remanufacturing strategies within SME settings.

The workshop provided valuable insights into student perceptions of circular practices and revealed cultural differences in sustainability understanding.
Read more
Master class on “Industrial Circular Economy”

By Lasse Streibel on Mar 31st, 2025

On March 31st, 2025, I delivered a masterclass on the Industrial Circular Economy to graduate students from engineering and business backgrounds.

The lecture introduced key principles of circular value creation in manufacturing and explored how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can adopt circular strategies through product design, business model innovation, and digital technologies such as digital twins.

The session was well-received and sparked lively discussion on how these concepts can be adapted to the Argentinian context.
Read more
Applying Axiomatic Design and Circular Economy Principles for SME Resilience

By Patrick Jordan on Mar 27th, 2025

Follow-up meetings and exchanges with Chris Brown were held to present the current status and advancements in developing the Axiomatic Design-based framework as outlined in the report.

This session covered the general ideas of how to employ Axiomatic Design (AD) and discussed the translation of Circular Economy principles into actionable resilience enablers for SMEs. It also included a review of interim findings.
Read more