About Project

Abstract

Printed, flexible, and organic electronics (PFOE) is a rapidly evolving field that combines various disciplines and enables the production of lightweight, flexible, and cost-effective electronic devices. As the field advances, there is a growing need for specialized skills and expertise at different educational levels, requiring both upskilling of workers and training of new talent. The INFINITE project addresses this need by establishing a Cooperation Network of Centres of Vocational Excellence in the PFOE sector. INFINITE consist of full partners from Latvia, Finland, Germany, and Spain, focusing on closing the skills gap by developing targeted training programs that surpass traditional VET.
Moreover, Associated Partners from 4 additional countries (Estonia, France, Greece, Portugal) will provide input from their countries and regions and are designated to uptake/replicate the project outcomes (trainings, courses, modules, etc.), and implement them. Furthermore, special focus will be on adopting the outcomes to other STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) related sectors, to achieve a maximum impact in European VET and industry.
The project aims to foster regional growth, innovation, and social inclusivity while promoting international collaboration to share knowledge and drive progress. Aligned with the goals of the Erasmus+ Programme, INFINITE aims to achieve vocational excellence through effective teaching and learning practices, collaboration and partnerships, and appropriate governance and funding. By enhancing VETs and facilitating cooperation between education, research, and industry, the project will address changing skill requirements, ensure quality employment opportunities, and contribute to an innovative, inclusive, and sustainable economy. Through the exchange of knowledge and interdisciplinary skills, the project consortium aims to create a harmonized VET system in Europe, support worker mobility, and strengthen the PFOE industry.

Duration: 1st March 2024 until 29th February 2028

Kick-Off Meeting was on 8th March 2024 at the Novotel München Messe in Munich.

Background

Emerging Field of PFOE

Printed, flexible, and organic electronics (PFOE) is a rapidly emerging field that includes various disciplines such as electronics, materials science, chemistry, physics, printing technologies, and manufacturing engineering. It involves the fabrication of electronic components and devices using printing and vacuum techniques, enabling the production of flexible, lightweight, and cost-effective electronics. This interdisciplinary approach has paved the way for innovative applications and technological advancements.

Expanding Applications of PFOE

The application areas of PFOE have expanded rapidly over the years. Initially focused on applications like organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, smart cards, and displays, the field now encompasses a wide range of industries, including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, and energy. This expansion has driven the demand for new technologies and skills, fostering growth and innovation across multiple sectors.

Global Market Growth

Globally, most growth in flexible electronics is expected to originate from OLEDs, printed biosensors, and conductive inks. The global conductive inks market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.1% from 2020-2025. By value, 95% of conductive ink supply is used for printed photovoltaic solar cells, automotive heating applications, and touch screen electrodes. In Europe, Germany leads the market, followed by Spain and France, with significant contributions from Finland and Sweden, driven by smart consumer electronics and medical applications.

Skills and Training Requirements

With the rapid evolution of PFOE, new skills and profiles are required at various educational levels, from operators to engineering specialists. Employees in traditional electronics and printing companies need upskilling in PFOE manufacturing processes, material behavior, and design methods from 2D to 3D. Upskilling the current workforce and training new prospects are essential to fill the industry’s skill gap. This includes an understanding of design processes and the ability to adapt to new manufacturing situations.

Demand for Advanced VET Systems

There is a pressing need for vocational education and training (VET) systems that provide the necessary education for emerging jobs in flexible electronics. As companies invest in flexible electronic devices like health electronics, biosensors, and embedded automotive electronics, the demand for a skilled workforce increases. The industry requires knowledge beyond traditional VETs in electronics or degrees in engineering and material sciences, necessitating constant updates to skills in line with industry needs and socio-economic challenges.

The INFINITE Project

The INFINITE project aims to close the skills gap at national and international levels by developing new or adapting existing VET programs to meet the needs of the PFOE industry. Focused on flexible electronics, this initiative will ensure a pipeline of skilled workers for the industry in Europe. The network includes full partners from Latvia, Finland, Germany, and Spain, and associated partners from Estonia, France, Portugal, and Greece. The project will establish a Cooperation Network of Centres of Vocational Excellence, fostering innovation and ensuring European prosperity in the PFOE sector.

Impact in the EU area

The flexible electronics market in Europe is still in development. The segments of the value chain are there, but the business activity in flexible electronics is still limited to some niche areas in Europe. These include mainly RFID/NFC tags, but also wearables and healthcare. Most of the flexible electronic market concerns semi flex solutions notably conventional electronics on flexible substrates.

For European businesses, PFOE offer opportunities in high value-added products, with most potential in several specific application areas. These application areas are healthcare and medical devices, smart packaging and logistics, sensors for IoT, industry and environmental monitoring, and automotive. An emergent area for Europe lies within the creative industries, although applications in e.g. fashion, require further maturity of flexible electronics on textile substrates.

Flexible electronics is still in an early stage, leaving ample room for further technological development. The largest application area of flexible electronics is in displays and lighting (large-area flexible electronics), where Europe has no significant presence as this market is dominated by actors in Asia and North America. Nevertheless, Europe has a strong research base and boasts a lot of innovative companies that have spun off from strongholds in applied research in electronics such as Imec, TNO, Holst Centre and VTT (beneficiary of the present project). Therefore, the role for Europe is seen in niche areas derived from innovation that create more complex, high value-added applications.

For Europe it is important to build on current strengths and capitalize on its strong research and innovation position. This requires commercialization by businesses in Europe, which are currently small-sized. Further upscaling of these businesses is required to gain a strong position in the market of flexible and printed electronics. This could be stimulated with targeted investments in specific application areas for flexible electronics, fulfilling societal needs in strategic areas, such as in healthcare. Demonstrator projects (higher level TRL) could further enhance business cases of smaller
companies in flexible electronics, enabling them to acquire private investments for upscaling. INFINITE Project is very strategic for Europe in order to qualify VET students with the skills demanding in the market.

Concept

The European market for printed, flexible, and organic electronics (PFOE) is experiencing rapid growth (expected to increase from €37.8 billion in 2020 to €68 billion in 2030), accompanied by continuous introduction of new technological developments. However, this rapid technological and commercial
progress is not being matched by a parallel development in the training of professionals, resulting in serious difficulties for the sector to find qualified workers.

This gap increases in the case of vocational education between EQF 3-5 and up-skilling and reskilling of companies employees in comparison with tertiary or university education that it is possible to find currently some Masters Degree focus on flexible electronics. Additionally, due to the high degree of innovation within the sector, there is a lack of adequately developed professors, trainers, curricula, and credentials to bridge the sector’s gap, in addition to the aforementioned challenges.

In this context, the INFINITE project aims to achieve vocational excellence in digital printing, flexible, and organic electronics, thereby providing a solution to the difficulties experienced. The INFINITE concept is based on three fundamental pillars: 1) teaching and learning, 2) cooperation and partnership, and 3) governance and funding. The following figure depicts a graphical representation of this concept and its related activities.

How are the different activities of the project addressed?

The INFINITE workplan is structured in 7 work packages. Each one has its work package leader and is further structured into tasks, with its corresponding task leaders. The work package and task leaders will ensure the quality and alignment of the activities performed at task and work package level with the objectives of the project at all times.

The structure has been designed considering the interactive linkage between the WPs of the projects and the activities show in Figure 7. WP2,3 and 4 are linked with “Teaching and Learning Cluster”, WP5 is linked with “Cooperation and Partnership Cluster” and WP6 with “Governance and Funding Cluster”. At the centre there is WP2, which contains the identification of the current and future skills demanded by the local and international industry. Once the latter are determined and analysed, the results from WP2 will feed into WP3. Since the information collected in WP2 is subject to change, it will remain open during the duration of the project, to adjust to this changes and forward relevant feedback to the consecutive WP3.

The results obtained in WP3 is used to develop new, innovative materials and methodologies for both trainers and trainees. In WP4 the work performed in WP2, 3 as well as input from WP5 are put into practice (implemented). The relevant information from WP4 is transferred to WP6 for the development of its activities. Around the mentioned WPs, there are the transversal WP1 and 7, which are active at all time. WP1 representing the node between all WPs and WP7 disseminating as well as assessing the impact of the projects results. This concept design paves the way towards a coherent and comprehensive set of appropriate activities and services to meet the identified needs and lead to the expected results.

Methodology

The methodology employed to address the main challenge of the project involves a three-step teaching and learning process, complemented by additional transversal processes such as cooperation and governance. The following sections further elaborate on these three teaching and learning steps.

Step 1 – Identification of current skills demanded by European industry

Surveys and interviews gain insights into vocational education and industry needs. Globalization, competition, and technological advances necessitate constant adaptation of education. Effective surveys facilitate communication between education stakeholders, companies, and employees to create tailored training programs. In functional printing and printed electronics, staying updated with market trends and advancements is crucial for relevant curricula. Simple, reliable tools like surveys and interviews foster collaboration and bridge skill gaps.

Step 2 – Developing innovative curricula for VET and learning materials

Identify required and existing skills through investigation of industry and educational profiles. Determine necessary knowledge to close the gap. Assess if training sessions or lifelong learning content suffice or if specialists are needed at various EQF levels. Increasing demand for accessible formats highlights micro-credentials as suitable instruments, to be integrated into educational products. Focus on flexible VET curricula recognizing short learning opportunities. Develop training based on survey results, focusing on EQF levels 3-7.

Step 3 – Implementation

After obtaining this information, courses, trainings, curricula, and VET systems can be developed. The newly created or adapted courses are then ready to be implemented. To ensure sustainability, this cycle must be constantly repeated, revolutionizing the relationship between industry and VET systems. Interaction must become more fluent, flexible, and agile, achievable in an adequate environment. Associated partners develop relevant strategies to adapt and replicate project activities in other countries.