The DRIVE project boosted job growth in the cross-border area of Croatia and Serbia by improving the European and international competitiveness of the region’s workforce and modernising infrastructure in fields at the intersection of the automotive industry and ICT sector. The project was set up to tackle regional issues such as lack of job opportunities and the resulting exodus of educated professionals in search of better pay or work.
- 16 April 2020
The objective to modernise existing computer infrastructures in Osijek and Novi Sad with four automotive IT laboratories has already been achieved. Four new master-level courses were successfully introduced at both universities. Four publicly open workshops were organised, in which over 100 young professionals were educated. The project has gained two leading automotive companies as partners.
Through the project’s efforts, four new academic courses on automotive computing and communication were developed as part of master’s-level studies in the universities of Novi Sad in Serbia and Osijek in Croatia. The courses focus on the design, development and testing of computer systems, applications, image and video processing devices, software architecture and safety features in vehicles.
The project organised four workshops for engineers in the region to improve their knowledge and increase their skills in automotive computing.
Better opportunities
The project’s educational dimension has provided the next generations of students with better opportunities in automotive software development, a sector that has always been an important economic driver. The high standards required in automotive computing make graduating engineers more competitive in other fields.
At the same time, the project has helped prevent the exodus of young people from the region by giving them a reason to stay. It has also convinced professionals who have left the region in search of jobs to return.
By combining new education programs, an innovative work environment, modern equipment and infrastructure, the project has encouraged automotive companies to expand their services to include automotive software engineering and, consequently, hire skilled individuals.
New equipment
The project acquired new equipment for laboratories in the Universities of Osijek and Novi Sad, used in testing automotive technology.
One laboratory of the University of Novi Sad was reoriented to test the safety of automotive architectures and software designs. Another one has been set up to facilitate virtual simulation testing of embedded systems – also known as hardware-in-the-loop testing – and to run calibration tests and diagnostics.
In the upgraded labs of the University of Osijek, students can now design and test automotive-related software. A second laboratory is dedicated to image and video processing in automotive applications. The university’s improved infrastructure allows students to work on products, software and applications in a live environment, gain practical experience and respond to market demands of a specific, but highly demanded part of the automotive industry.
Getting universities and major regional companies active in the automotive software engineering industry to work towards a common goal has resulted in a continuous exchange of know-how, skills and expertise.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “DRIVE - Modernizing Laboratories for Innovative Technologies” is EUR 907 094, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 771 030 through the “IPA CBC Croatia – Serbia Interreg” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Jobs, Growth and Investment”.