On June 15th, Dr. Miroslav Pajic, a professor at Duke University (USA) and a Work Package Leader on our project, visited the project team at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

The visit commenced with a team meeting in which Professor Pajic shared insights into his laboratory’s current research directions, as well as emerging scientific and industry trends in the United States. He also shared valuable experiences regarding academic collaboration, student mentorship, and the organizational framework of Duke University.

Subsequently, Professor Pajic toured the Laboratory for Manufacturing Automation and the Laboratory for Industrial Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (ROBOTICS & AI). During the tour, he had the opportunity to inspect the state-of-the-art equipment acquired for the project, made possible by the financial support of the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia.

The second part of the visit was dedicated to education. Professor Pajic delivered an engaging lecture for M.Sc. students enrolled in the Industry 4.0 program, focusing on the design and implementation of communication between embedded devices.

The students were pleased to discover that their current curriculum and the software tools they use closely align with the academic standards at Duke University. Furthermore, our students gain a competitive edge by dedicating significant hours to hands-on, practical projects, thereby enhancing their applied skills.

The lecture concluded with an interactive session in which Professor Pajic spoke with students individually, exchanging ideas and providing valuable guidance on their career aspirations and post-graduation employment opportunities.