A partnership with Iran for futuristic technologies
Key takeaways
“The cooperation between IUT and ZHAW was very fruitful and valuable for both sides. We were able to largely achieve the set goals and, above all, create personal relationships that greatly contribute to continue our work in various areas“.
“The cooperation between IUT and ZHAW was very fruitful and valuable for both sides. We were able to largely achieve the set goals and, above all, create personal relationships that greatly contribute to continue our work in various areas“.
In 2019, after a visit to the Isfahan University of Technology (IUT), the Leading House for South Asia and Iran, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), initiated a research collaboration between the two institutions. The initiative, partly funded by ZHAW, was to create a laboratory environment for a Cyber-physical Production Systems (CPPS) learning factory in the scope of Industry 4.0, networked between the universities in Iran and Switzerland.
Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are one of the most important elements of digitalisation in industry. They are systems of computing units (cyber) that are in direct connection with the physical world (physical) and its ongoing production processes via sensors and actuators. CPS uses information from global networks (e.g., the Internet), makes information available on the network and are therefore the basis for the Industrial Internet of Things.
The implementation of a working, cloud based CPPS, the development of hard- and software modules and the deployment in university courses and seminars have been subjects of the project.
As part of the collaboration, a total of four students, one lecturer and an employee of the IUT International Office spent several months in 2019 at the Institute of Mechatronic Systems, ZHAW.
“We have set up an online system for working together (implemented by IUT) with file storage, discussion forum, presentations, videos and an integrated video conference system. We still use this system today for collaboration. All the researchers involved and the institutes on both sides are very motivated”, said Prof. Dr. Hans Wernher van de Venn, Director of the Institute of Mechatronic Systems at ZHAW.
The collaboration led to numerous exchanges between faculty and students and resulted in two peer reviewed publications and a Master’s teaching module about Industry 4.0. Two students from IUT are currently part of the joint PhD programme offered by University of Zurich and ZHAW. An MoU was signed between the two institutions for furthering academic exchanges and joint projects, and the collaboration continues to progress successfully in 2021.
