IOTRAIN

The main outcome of the IoTRAIN is the establishment of a new industry-based educational master program in IoT, which is based on its nature has a high potential for young and talented researchers, companies, and start-ups to
develop innovative ideas as products or services. This program enables entrepreneurship activities in Iran and Iraq by including entrepreneurship and management course modules in its curricula. The other novelty compared to
other local program establishments in Iran and Iraq, this project specifically interacted with the local industries to find the industry and market gap analyzed in WP1 at the local level (Iran and Iraq) and the course materials were developed accordingly. Also, the cross-disciplinary integration of the course materials from different categories of
science, engineering, entrepreneurship, and management made the course development method innovative. In addition, the innovative teaching solutions such as online/remote platforms made the project innovative and promoted capacity building, especially for remote target groups. Further, the international public-private partnershipbased capacity building is innovative at the local level (Iran and Iraq) with the inclusion of international partners as well as industrial companies (Petanux GmbH in IoTRAIN) compared to the traditional capacity-building activities.

Description

From a technical perspective, IoTrain addressed the transformative impact of IoT as a major driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, influencing future employment, skills, and workforce demands. The project identified industrial needs and business opportunities in the private sector that could be addressed through IoT competencies. It aimed to develop new skills for engineers, close gaps in existing higher education curricula, and foster new research areas aligned with industry demands. These goals were pursued through comprehensive analysis of the educational and industrial landscapes in Iran and Iraq. Additionally, IoTrain provided IoT training modules by adapting existing European materials to local needs and developing new, high-quality teaching resources, drawing on the expertise of experienced researchers and industry-oriented academics.

Socially, the project contributed to improving both national and international employability of Iranian and Iraqi graduates by enhancing their IoT-related skills. It particularly targeted engineers, who represented one of the largest groups of unemployed graduates in both countries.

Educationally, IoTrain aimed to establish and align study programs leading to a Master of Engineering in Internet of Things, designed to meet the needs of industry in Iran, Iraq, and Europe. It strengthened links between universities and enterprises, encouraged entrepreneurship, and improved graduate employability. The project also promoted a shift toward practice-oriented and industry-driven training approaches in higher education systems that had traditionally been more theory-focused.

In terms of collaboration, IoTrain fostered international cooperation and mobility among students, researchers, and educators to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and best practices. It supported the development of academic-industry partnerships by transferring European experience to Iranian and Iraqi institutions and engaging local industries with growth potential. The project also laid the groundwork for long-term cooperation between the EU, Iran, and Iraq across higher education, academia-industry collaboration, and business sectors.

IoTrain targeted multiple stakeholder groups, including academia, higher education staff, students, industry actors, and SMEs. These groups were actively involved through early announcements and outreach efforts using websites, social media, and mailing lists. They were encouraged to participate in project activities such as summer and winter schools, workshops, and webinars.

In Iran, the project contributed to improving employability in engineering fields while enabling academics, researchers, job seekers, and entrepreneurs to compete in the European job market by increasing their awareness of cooperation and employment opportunities in the EU. It also strengthened academic collaboration between European and Iranian higher education institutions and supported the development of entrepreneurial and management skills necessary for establishing startups and advancing industry.

In Iraq, IoTrain addressed the growing demand for professional IoT skills by enhancing existing curricula and developing new modules within IoT master programs and training initiatives in higher education institutions. It conducted a thorough analysis of current and future technological gaps and introduced an adapted IoT competence model aligned with European and international standards. This model incorporated up-to-date training materials from European partners and helped bridge existing skill gaps. The resulting training modules supported a wide range of stakeholders, including academics, startups, scientists, industry professionals, and domain experts, ultimately contributing to the competitiveness of Iraqi engineers.

The project partners were as follows:
WASIT UNIVERSITY, Iraq
UNIVERSITY OF SUMER, Iraq
SHAHID CHAMRAN UNIVERSITY OF AHVAZ, Iran
UNIVERSITY OF SISTAN AND BALUCHESTAN, Iran
ISLAMIC AZAD UNIVERSITY, Iran
INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES IN BASIC SCIENCES, Iran
UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI, Romania
UNIVERSITAET SIEGEN, Germany
PETANUX GMBH, Germany
THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER, United Kingdom

Focus points/areas

Master of Engineering in Internet of Things (IoTRAIN)

Research Goals

1.

IoTrain aimed to enhance the IoT skills of engineers by developing and strengthening higher education training and curricula in Iran and Iraq in line with state-of-the-art European standards and technologies. The project’s motivations and objectives were defined collectively for both countries, as the targeted groups and regional needs were largely shared.

The proposal focused on modernizing ICT and engineering curricula within Iranian and Iraqi higher education systems by updating existing courses with IoT-related topics, recognizing IoT as a key driving technology of the future. It also sought to develop new courses and modules, ultimately contributing to the establishment of Master of Science programs in IoT. The initiative specifically targeted IoT as a domain of strategic importance, aligned with national priorities in both countries and consistent with global trends in business, industry, and research. Furthermore, it promoted cooperation between the European Union, Iran, and Iraq in higher education, reflecting the interests of policymakers on all sides.

Methodology

WP1: Finalization of the gap identification process in Iranian and Iraqi HE curricula is based on demands and needed skills in the private sector and industry as well as state-of-the-art technological advances in Internet of Things.

WP2: Developing modern Industrial Internet of Things (IoTrain) training materials based on the “IoT Trainings Gap Identification Report” and by considering the state-of-the-art IoT research and technologies

WP3: Quality control and monitoring plan

WP4: Project dissemination and management of the intellectual property rights

WP5: Project exploitation and sustainability

WP6: Project Management

Projectteam

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roman Obermaisser

Professor

Prof. Dr. Roman Obermaisser is full professor at the Division for Embedded Systems of University of Siegen. Roman Obermaisser has finished his doctoral studies in Computer Science with Prof. Hermann Kopetz at Vienna University of Technology as research advisor in 2004.

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