Croatian project

The

(UWE) is working with the Polytechnic and Technical School of Karlovac to set up a Centre of Excellence in Mechatronics in a manufacturing region of Croatia.

According to the UWE, the project will support regional learning and innovation in education and training, and better equip the local manufacturing industry to respond to the changing needs of the Croatian and global economy.

The UWE has been awarded £342,000 by the European Union to help set up the centre, which will be hosted by the Polytechnic of Karlovac and the Technical School. It is supported by regional stakeholders, including government ministries and regional promotion organisations.

Professor Darko Vyroubal, vice-dean of the Faculty at the Polytechnic of Karlovac, said: ‘The establishment of such a centre is what is desperately needed to introduce modern blended learning and business initiative to local industry, which is losing pace with modern technology.'

Farid Dailami, UWE team leader, said: ‘We are determining regional industry needs and helping the Centre set up appropriate structures to respond to external demands.

‘The UWE team is developing a range of innovative mechanisms for knowledge exchange, to enable equipment, facilities and expertise from the centre of excellence to be accessed by local industrial clients.’

Staff from Croatia recently travelled to Bristol for a study tour hosted by the UWE’s Bristol Institute of Technology, which included industrial visits and visits to laboratories within the institute and the Bristol Robotics Laboratory.