EIT Digital Hungary has launched a new European initiative to strengthen knowledge transfer and innovation capacity in robotics across the continent. The Robotics Knowledge Transfer Lab (ROBO-KNOT: 101216484) project brings together three academic institutions from Greece, Portugal and Slovenia—to deploy 24 researchers and 12 research support staff to companies and science parks in Estonia, Greece, Portugal, and Spain.
Europe’s robotics sector plays a key role in driving industrial competitiveness and technological innovation. However, the pace of translating research outcomes into market applications remains uneven, particularly across Widening Countries. ROBO-KNOT addresses these disparities by fostering collaboration between academia, research, and industry, and by supporting the mobility and training of researchers and innovation professionals across Europe.
ROBO-KNOT project has been funded by the European Union and launched under the Horizon Europe WIDERA programme. Under the coordination of EIT Digital Hungary, the project unites three sending institutions—Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), Jožef Stefan Institute (Slovenia), and Lusófona University (Portugal) collaborating with industry actors to support secondments in the area of robotics.
ROBO-KNOT introduces a modular secondment model that immerses participants in diverse work environments, complemented by entrepreneurial and transferable skills training through an online SPIN program and a hands-on bootcamp. Each participant’s progress is tracked through a Career Advancement Plan, ensuring structured professional growth.
The project contributes to the development of skills of the secondees, a more balanced European brain circulation, stronger institutional capacity in Widening Countries, and enhanced cross-sectoral collaboration. It builds on EIT Digital Hungary’s proven track record in managing European innovation initiatives—such as Digital Tech EDIH—and represents a significant step in positioning Hungary as a key player within the WIDERA program and the broader European innovation ecosystem.
The first call for applications for secondees (PhDs, researchers and research support staff) from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), Jožef Stefan Institute (Slovenia), and Lusófona University (Portugal) will be announced in November 2025, and the secondments will begin in Spring 2026.
If you are a R&I Support Staff or a Researcher from one of these institutions with expertise and/or a strong interest in one or more of the following areas listed below, you might be interested in applying.
- Mechanical Engineering: Robotic Design and Prototyping, Kinematics and Dynamics
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering: Sensors and Actuators, Power Systems
- Computer Science / Software Engineering: AI & Machine Learning, Embedded or Robotic Control Systems, Computer Vision
- Mathematics and Theoretical Foundations: Robotic Motion Planning, Optimization, Control Theory
- Human-Robot Interaction: User Interface Design, Ergonomics, Ethics, and Social Implications
- Autonomous Systems: Autonomous and Multi-Robot Systems, Robotic Simulation and Testing
- Robotics Applications and Integration: Industrial, Agricultural, and Mobile Robotics
- Cybersecurity: Secure Robotic Systems, Privacy
- Robotics Education and Outreach: Curriculum Development, Public Engagement
For questions, please contact the coordinator of ROBO-KNOT project, Marton Belik, marton.belik@28digital.eu.
