DigiFoF is an Erasmus+ project implemented from 01.01.2019 until 31.12.2021 by the following consortium:
• University of Vienna, Austria
• Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint Etienne, France
• Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania
• University of Bergamo, Italy
• BOC Information Technologies Consulting Sp. z o.o., Poland
• Continental Automotive Systems S.R.L., Romania
• CLEXTRAL, France
• ViaMéca, France
• International Centre for Resources and Innovation for Sustainable Development, France
• Metal Manufacturing Transilvania Cluster, Romania
• Sistemi Formativi Aziendali SRL, Italy
• Innovation and Development Promotion Centre, Poland
• Society of Collaborative Networks, Portugal

Link to project website: https://digifof.eu/

The DigiFoF (Digital Skills for Factories of the Future) project proposes a network of innovation hubs where higher education institutions, enterprises, and training institutions come together to develop skill profiles, trainings and teaching concepts as well as materials for design aspects of the Factory of the Future (FoF). It will create an organizational structure to foster knowledge transfer between industry and academia, aiming to provide educational and experimental OMi-laboratories, where FoF-aspects can be taught practically or experimented with. These will be equipped with modelling, simulation and analysis tools targeting: smart manufacturing and product design (IoT, CPS and embedded intelligence, human-machine interaction), servitization and product-service systems, new organizational models for FoF, new concepts (e.g. crowd-production) for supply chains and business models for FoF.

Disciplines addressed by the network are: engineering (product design and engineering, automation, embedded systems etc.), business administration, computer science, information systems management, industrial management, supply chain management and logistics, service science. The sectoral focus of DigiFoF lies in the metal processing -, the automotive-, and the industrial machines sectors.

The project will create a portfolio of innovative results:
• on organizational level: a DigiFoF Design Competence Network (an industry-academia knowledge and human resource exchange system), several DigiFoF physical and virtual laboratories and a professional certification scheme for FoF-Designers,
• on content level: a DigiFoF design tool as well as innovative ICT-based teaching and learning materials based on industrial cases.
• on a personal level: an increased level of digital skills and competences in the design area of FoF, leading to better job chances for students and professionals by fostering a more relevant, interdisciplinary and learner-oriented education.