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As Europe continues to transform its industrial base through digitalisation, sustainability, and resilience, universities are rethinking the way engineers are educated. Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) is at the forefront of this change with its renewed Industrial Engineering and Management master’s programme (MARM), developed in close collaboration with the MERIT (Master Education for Resilience, Innovation and Technology) project.

The latest General Assembly (GA) of the MERIT project, hosted by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) from June 17–19, 2025, marked a significant milestone in academic-industry synergy, international engagement, and strategic forward planning. Held across various venues in Vilnius, the three-day event gathered project partners, stakeholders, and special guests, culminating in a powerful statement on the future of higher education, skills-based learning, and artificial intelligence (AI).

The second edition of the International Industry Engagement Workshop on Artificial Intelligence, organised by the MERIT project, took place on 18 June 2025 in a hybrid format —both on-site in Vilnius, Lithuania, and online— and proved to be a resounding success.

On May 28, 2025, the MERIT project successfully hosted its Online International Industry Engagement Workshop on the Internet of Things (IoT), drawing over 30 participants from across Europe. The two-hour event (14:00–16:00 CET) brought together representatives from SMEs, higher education institutions, IoT experts, and researchers to explore practical applications of IoT and strengthen collaboration between academia and industry.

The MERIT master’s programme was featured at UPC Manresa’s University–Business Forum, drawing interest from students and companies in its key focus areas: artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things.

From 13 to 15 May 2025, the IoT Solutions World Congress (IOTSWC), held jointly with the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress (BCC) at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, brought together over 260 exhibitors from 30 countries and more than 100 national and international speakers. Both events underscored the strategic importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity for businesses and industry, highlighting their role in ensuring a more secure digital future.

In an era where digital innovation drives societal and economic transformation, cross-border collaboration and education in advanced digital skills are more critical than ever. The 4th MERIThON event, held in Tallinn and aligned with the prestigious international scientific conference Materials, Mechanics and Manufacturing (MMM) 2025, brought together universities, students, and researchers to address precisely that challenge.

On Saturday, April 26, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) in Manresa, UPC Manresa, hosted a new edition of the MERIThON, the hackathon organized as part of the European MERIT project, which promotes education and talent development in key fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The TechLab at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech (UPC) in Manresa, UPC Manresa, was filled with energy, curiosity, and female talent on Thursday, April 24, in celebration of International Girls in ICT Day. The event brought together 4th-year ESO and 1st-year Batxillerat students (all undergraduates) from Cal Gravat and Pius Font i Quer high schools, with the aim of breaking stereotypes and inspiring technological vocations among the next generation of women.

The UPC Technology Center (CIT UPC) took an active role in Foro Transfiere 2025, held from 12 to 14 March at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA). As a prominent participant, CIT UPC leveraged the event to showcase its cutting-edge technological capabilities and the impact of the MERIT project, aimed at developing a pan-European educational ecosystem for training digital specialists.