Educational Support for SMEs Transitioning from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 - Insights and Lessons Learned from European Cooperation Projects

The ongoing transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 brings promising prospects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to bolster their competitiveness and sustainability. To fully capitalize the benefits brought by this transition, SMEs need to master the upskilling of their workforce that conforms to the rhythm of technological development. Creating an educational symbiosis which supports this upskilling prompt is therefore crucial. The interdependence between research and education institutions and SMEs plays a vital role in cultivating a culture of continuous learning. This enables SMEs to effectively tackle the hurdles posed by the ongoing shift from technology-driven competition to one centered around creativity. The authors explore the European projects undertaken in recent years, emphasizing the insights that have played a pivotal role in empowering SMEs to fully leverage the potential of technological advancements within Industry 5.0. Furthermore, observations concerning the collaboration between SMEs and research and educational institutions have also been incorporated.