Industry 5.0 – Ukrainian Conference
This conference was the first major event since July 2023, when key UA policy documents—the Manifesto and Resolution—were adopted. The March 11-12 event aimed to demonstrate progress in several key areas:
- Implementation of the 10 fundamental principles of the Industry 5.0 UA Manifesto
- Advancement of sectoral agendas through the Industry 5.0 Community of Practice (CoP)
- Alignment with European stakeholders
- Institutional progress, particularly with the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance (UCA) and EDIHs
KEY DISCUSSIONS AND INSIGHTS
The conference featured presentations from European and Ukrainian experts, who shared insights into both global trends and Ukraine’s progress in Industry 5.0.
European Perspectives
One of the key speakers, Zuzana Dutkova from the European Commission’s Research and Innovation Directorate, provided an overview of Industry 5.0 developments in the EU.
Image: Presentation by Zuzana Dutkova Industry 5.0 Unit, DG RTD European Commission
Zuzana introduced several major European projects, including Prospects 5.0, SEISMEC, AI Redgio 5.0, SURE 5.0, and Bridge 5.0. She also encouraged Ukrainian experts to engage with the European Industry 5.0 platform and highlighted Horizon Europe as a key funding mechanism for projects in this field.
Ukraine’s Progress and Challenges
Oleksandr Yurchak, CEO of APPAU and leader of the CoP 5.0_UA community, presented Ukraine’s recent efforts to align with European Industry 5.0 initiatives.
Mr Yurchak acknowledged Ukraine’s growing presence in European networks but pointed out several challenges, including:
- Lack of financial instruments and programs to support specific needs, such as Reskilling-Upskilling programs, testbeds and laboratories, and industrial accelerators.
- The limited engagement of large industrial companies and international institutions—support remains weak.
Development of the Community of Practice (CoP) 5.0_UA
The leaders of the CoP 5.0_UA Working Groups presented their development agendas:
- End-to-End Engineering/PLM – Anton Vasiliev
- AI and Robotics –Oleksandr Ochkasov
- Cybersecurity for Operational Technology (OT) – Ihor Kotsiuba
- Data Space and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) – Volodymyr Nochvay & Roman Kravchenko
- Reskilling/Upskilling Programs (EDIH Kyiv Hitech) – Pavlo Novikov
Integration into European Programs
The four projects already underway by the UCA and APPAU have demonstrated course towards integration into EU programs:
- IDEALIST – Twin Transition of SMEs in three industrial sectors (Loïc Marin & Alysée Cibil, France)
- Accelerate GDT – Green & Digital Transition in cluster policy (John Hobs, Ireland)
- DanubIA – AI-driven transformation of cluster strategies (Daniel Cosnita, Romania)
- Lightweight EU – Advanced materials addressing new industrial challenges (Ricardo del Valle, Spain)
Discussions in six Zoom breakout rooms were highly engaging, contributing to networking and the consolidation of CoP 5.0 working group positions.
On the second day of the conference, March 12, eight Ukrainian integrators and developers presented their Industry 4.0-5.0 solutions, showcasing Ukraine’s technological capabilities.
Strategic Alignment and Future Steps
The Industry 5.0 Conference successfully strengthened the Ukrainian Community of Practice (CoP) 5.0, refined strategic priorities, and aligned Ukraine’s industrial innovation agenda with European trends.
Zuzana Dutkova, RTD E4, European Commission, states "the Ukrainian CoP 5.0 is an excellent example of how EU initiatives can successfully replicate at the national level."
The emergence of the CoP 5.0_UA community and its initial results represent a significant step forward in developing APPAU and UCA. De facto, these Working Groups (WGs) are setting new rules for clusters and EDIHs (more broadly – universities). They confirm UCA’s thesis regarding the strategic impact of small but truly expert and well-organized WGs, which become centers of larger communities. True professionals lead the CoP 5.0_UA WGs with relevant technical backgrounds, and this is the main change we have managed to achieve under the strong negative influence of fragmentation and populism. Seven draft frameworks have been developed – Robotics, Asset Performance & Safety Management, Cybersecurity, E2E Engineering (PLM), Federative Data Space, Circular Manufacturing, and Reskilling Upskilling.
Moving forward, the main challenges:
- Securing financial support for key Industry 5.0 initiatives.
- Increasing engagement of industrial enterprises in digital transformation.
- Strengthening partnerships with European stakeholders.
By addressing these challenges, Ukraine can accelerate its integration into Europe’s Industry 5.0 landscape and enhance its competitiveness in global markets.
Further information, agenda and registration: https://appau.org.ua/en/appau-news/industry-5-0-summary-of-the-march-11-12-conference/