INDUSAC’s main objective is to develop and validate a state-of-the-art, Industry Academia collaboration (IAC) mechanism for quick, challenge-driven, human-centred co-creation. Its aim is to build upon pre-existing IAC mechanisms such as EIT KICs and to facilitate a simple, user-friendly co-creation process that allows to develop solutions that clearly address the needs and interests of companies, students, and researchers in the EU, with special attention to widening and associated countries. Of a highly digitalised nature, our project will pilot the mechanism’s two main components: a methodology developed by applying human-centred design principles and an online platform aimed at connecting stakeholders from the industry-academia ecosystem and at supporting them throughout their co-creation journey. The INDUSAC methodology will provide the guidance and tools needed to power the process, whilst the platform will stand as a networking space for stakeholders to connect, as well as a co-creation arena to develop joint solutions. Through the experience of supporting at least 300 transnational co-creation teams throughout project lifetime, the INDUSAC mechanism and its two key components will be successively improved until project end, delivering a tested mechanism ready for replication and upskilling. It is expected for INDUSAC to also create a dynamic community of industry-academia stakeholders, including at least 1000 companies, 3000 students and 300 researchers by project end. The INDUSAC counts with a strong interdisciplinary, cross-sectorial and geographically balanced partnership that counts with the needed expertise and network to achieve our project’s goals.

The CITADELS project aims to contribute towards transforming the 7 widening countries represented in the Project into CITADELS of human-centric Industry 5.0 development. The Project brings together a consortium of 10 partners from 9 countries, including 4 large academic institutions that are highly influential within their innovation ecosystems, 3 exemplary DeepTech companies, and 1 science and technology park, where academia meets industry to make innovations happen and grow into the business. Additionally, CITADELS is supported by the 2 EU-leading partners to bring know-how in cross-sectoral collaboration, to ensure stakeholder engagement and pan-European impact (EIT Manufacturing), and to introduce a sustainable, responsible research and innovation approach (K&I). CITADELS combines the excellence of DeepTech talents and social scientists to comply with EC’s “ERA industrial technologies roadmap on human-centric research and innovation for the manufacturing sector” to ensure sustainable DeepTech careers and the progress of DeepTech. The CITADELS project seizes the opportunity presented by recent investments in advanced public R&I infrastructure and the growing demand for DeepTech expertise across Europe to combat the brain drain in widening countries. By aligning academic research excellence with industry needs, CITADELS focuses on talent circulation (20 research talents and 20 R&I support talents will be involved as a whole), creating attractive career pathways in DeepTech and building the capacity of local ecosystems to adopt cutting-edge technologies. This project will support translating research into high-value industrial applications and position widening countries as competitive players in the global DeepTech landscape. Ultimately, CITADELS will boost regional economic resilience and foster social cohesion by modernizing local industries and creating high-value jobs, driving long-term economic growth and resilience in widening countries.

The main goal for the years to come is the transformation of EIT Manufacturing into a well-regarded service organisation offering qualified services to the European Manufacturing domain. This transformation will include all parts of the organisation; the pillars, the CLCs and the Manufacturing SASU. An extensive catalogue of possible service offerings has been established and prioritised. The first results have been achieved already. According to our go-to-market strategy, services will be piloted by the CLCs or the Manufacturing SASU and, if successful, rolled out over the whole organisation. The first portfolio of start-ups with financial sustainability agreements has been established, with an estimated valuation of more than €2 million. EIT Manufacturing will focus its investment in the next three years on the “European Manufacturing System”, taking an integrated European approach of all pillars: Innovation, Education, RIS, Business Creation and Communication. The “European Manufacturing System” will play a key role in the Circular Economy. It will link the steps of value creation processes in a multidimensional way, in order to identify the environmentally, economically and socially sustainable favourable alternatives for each step, going from an idea to a finished product, process or service. With Europe’s sensitivity for sustainability, and its ingenious talents in developing innovative technologies, processes and means of collaboration, Europeans are destined to lead the way to further evolved and improved Manufacturing Systems. EIT Manufacturing, in cooperation with its partners and ecosystem, helps drive this leadership by postulating the “European Manufacturing System” as a strategic objective for the European manufacturing industry, with global implications. The Business Plan implementation will fully comply with the EIT Financial Sustainability principles, KIC fund principles, Innovation Principles, EIT RIS Hub Minimum Standards and Good Governance principles.

The DATA4CIRC project aims to enhance circularity within the manufacturing sector to facilitate decarbonisation whilst improving competitiveness and boosting the adoption of R-strategies. These objectives will be achieved by providing the sector with the proposed DATA4CIRC solution, a human-centred collaborative digital framework that leverages the power of data and cutting-edge digital technologies for assets digitalisation. This framework will comprise (A) Federated Data Spaces, (B) Digital Models of the circular value chains and products; (C) Digital Product Passport (DPP); and (D) an AI-assisted end-to-end LCA tool. The integration of these tools into a single framework will improve data interoperability and accessibility, therefore boosting the collaboration and the establishment of circular value chains. To do so, (E) ontologies and semantic models will be leveraged and proper user-friendly interfaces will be developed. Furthermore, the DATA4CIRC solutions will be based on existing standards and architectures to maximise their adoption and impact. Special focus will be placed on social aspects for the transition to circular business models which prioritise the needs, expectations and experiences of end-users. By embracing the social innovation paradigm, human involvement throughout the project is boosted through co-creation and co-validation activities. Moreover, an upskilling and reskilling training programme will be designed and conducted to facilitate the uptake of digital tools in the manufacturing workforce during the project and beyond its completion. Validation and demonstration of the DATA4CIRC solution will be achieved via three use cases, thereby consolidating successful progress from TRL4 to TRL6. The selected use cases are circular value chains in manufacturing sectors with high impact potential and significant room for improvement regarding the field of circular economy: the electronics, plastics, and automotive sectors.

Expert Facilitators lead and guide co-creation processes among stakeholders, enhancing creativity and mutual understanding and ensuring effective outcomes. To excel in their work, facilitators need a diverse set of skills, incl. technical expertise and soft skills like conflict resolution and active listening. Keeping up with the latest co-creation trends/practices (incl. the incorporation of SSH aspects) can be challenging. Although there are many initiatives offering resources to upgrade co-creation skills, they are frequently fragmented and scattered through hundreds of platforms and websites. EU·FFICIENT will create a dedicated platform and methodology to provide facilitators with personalized access to best-in-class co-creation resources, as well as training and networking opportunities. The platform will allow users to self-assess their training needs in co-creation before they access a Customised Training Program comprising easy-to-digest audio-visual material, online and f2f events. Upon completion of the training modules, Expert Facilitators will receive a "Certification of Completion" aligned with EC's vision for lifelong learning and micro-credentials. The project will pilot four Communities of Expert Facilitators (CEFs): Advanced Manufacturing, HealthTech, Mobility, and AI/Digital, facilitating cross-fertilization and cross-comparison. EU·FFICIENT targets over 2,000 facilitators through the four CEFs, with at least 500 actively participating in training – an activity coordinated by UIIN network, the EU leader in university-industry training. The partnership brings representatives from academia (incl. 6 HEIs), industry and the public sector, as well as dedicated experts on co-creation, training, community building, online platform development and policy briefing. The highly complementary consortium is formed by partners from many different backgrounds and geographies (incl. Widening and Associated countries), enabling an agile kick-start of the piloting.