Partners
- Academic & Industry

SMART 4.0 projects must be implemented at one of the 6 academic partner institutions of CONFIRM Centre participating in SMART 4.0: University of Limerick (UL), Tyndall National Institute (TNI), University College Cork (UCC), Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) and Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT).

Applicants may nominate a supervisor from any of these partner institutions (see Quick Reference Card, below, for key institutional competencies). Please refer to the Our People section of the CONFIRM Centre website for further information on investigators and their expertise. It is mandatory for applicants to have the support of their prospective academic supervisors – therefore, it is advisable to make contact ASAP.

If uncertain, SMART 4.0 Program Management (smart_confirm@ul.ie) and CONFIRM Centre’s Operations Team will assist the applicant identify a suitable academic/non‐academic host.

Each Fellowship application must include a 3-month secondment to a non‐academic partner. Each applicant will also have one co‐supervisor from the non‐academic secondment during the course of their Fellowship, chosen freely by the applicant with support from the main academic supervisor. The main supervisor and co‐supervisor form the supervisory team.

Through the SMART 4.0 programme with CONFIRM Centre, Fellows will avail of key partnerships between academia and industry with a view to strengthening and raising the excellence and impact of European smart manufacturing research. The secondment to a non‐academic partner will provide the Fellows with experience of working in a non‐academic setting. Fellows will gain insight into topics such as entrepreneurship, commercialisation of research results and patenting. Exposure to industry not only gives the Fellows insight in how industry works, it is also an opportunity to engage with industry and potentially secure a position after the Fellowship.

SMART 4.0 Benefits - Industrial Partners

For our industrial partners, the following table outlines some of the potential benefits of secondment placement under the auspices of the SMART 4.0 program

Promote talent, engage public

SHOWCASE INTERNAL CAPABILITIES

Provide expert insight into topics such as entrepreneurship, commercialisation of research result, patenting, and product development processes

Access to state-of-the-art research environments and as a vehicle to showcase industry (e.g. tools, products, processes, facilities)

The opportunity to inspire and coach the best emergent talent

Foster Research

CONTRIBUTE TO FOCUSED ACADEMIC OUTPUTS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THEIR BUSINESS

The opportunity to feed into tailor-made training to develop Fellows with skills and experience to become Smart Mfg. leaders of tomorrow

Support in the development of skills that will be directly transferable to industry

Exposure to industry not only gives the Fellows insight in how industry works, it is also an opportunity to engage with industry and potentially secure a position post-Fellowship

4.0 Community of Practice

ENHANCED VISIBILITY TO BUSINESS/CAPABILITIES AMONG CONFIRM CENTRE’S COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Directly contribute to the appointment of SMART 4.0 Fellows

Provide opportunities to learn from intersectoral professionals who have excellent expertise in a broad range of topics, including Smart Products, Smart Machines, Smart Production Systems and Smart Supply Chains

Opportunity for industry to shape training components, to ensure Fellows graduate with industry-relevant skills to fill the growing needs of the manufacturing sector

Partners
- Academic & Industry