Participation of Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University in the Smart Industry Mission

On October 7-9, Zaporizhzhya Polytechnic National University took an active part in the Smart Industry Mission to the city of Brno (Czech Republic) — an event that combined a visit to the MSV 2025 International Machine Building Fair, a mini-conference “Smart Industry Ukraine” and visits to Czech Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH).

The officially invited include 12 representatives of Ukrainian institutions. Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic was represented by the vice-rector for scientific and pedagogical work and issues of perspective development, head of ZP EDIH Ruslan Kulikovsky and professor of the Department of Economics and Customs Affairs, director of the Zaporizhia EAM (Engineering–Automation–Machinery) cluster Andriy Karpenko.

The mission was organized by the CzechInno association with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Kyiv, as well as the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic within the framework of the PROPED 2025 program.

The key goal of the delegation was the public presentation of Ukrainian practices of Industry 4.0 at the mini-conference “Smart Industry Ukraine” on October 8 at the National Exposition of Ukraine. Reports were presented on the state of Ukrainian automation and artificial intelligence, the use of industrial technologies for defense, as well as updates on the development of Ukrainian Industry 4.0.

In the thematic segment about Ukrainian EDIH, Ruslan Kulikovsky (ZP EDIH) presented his services and opportunities for cooperation with Czech partners, and Andriy Karpenko outlined trends in Ukrainian Industry 4.0.

The Mission itself was built in such a way as to maximally combine acquaintance with the ecosystem of the Czech “smart industry” and the first practical steps for further cooperation. After organizational meetings at MSV 2025, participants went to EDIH DIGIMAT and CEITEC BUT test stands, where they considered the elements of “smart production” and discussed points of intersection for joint projects and demonstrations.

The next day, the program was dedicated to getting to know the EDIH Cybersecurity Innovation Hub and the CyberRangeCZ cyber training ground — a platform for working out scenarios for increasing the cyber resilience of industrial enterprises. The conclusion was a final discussion at CyberCampusCZ and agreement on further steps of interaction. At the same time, the mission integrated an individual presence at the key sites of the fair — from the Digital Factory 2.0 section to the targeted expositions of the Czech EDIH.

For Zaporizhia Polytechnic University, participation in the event became a platform for the rapid convergence of two innovative ecosystems — the regional engineering school of Ukraine and the mature Czech infrastructure of EDIH. University representatives proposed several vectors of further actions: coordination of “test-before-invest” demonstrations for Zaporizhzhia enterprises at the stands of Czech partners; joint educational formats; exchange of experts to work out typical production cases; preparation of applications for EU grant instruments with the involvement of Ukrainian and Czech EDIH as co-executors.

We work together — we develop together!