On March 19, 2025, partners of the Erasmus+ ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE project "Developing Innovative Curricula and Modules in Circular Economy and Sustainable Development - CirculEC" from Central Asian countries, including representatives from D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University (EKTU), took part in a study visit to the Innovation Campus Lemgo in Lemgo, Germany.
The Lemgo Innovation Campus is a cutting-edge center for sustainable development and digital technologies. It represents a unique ecosystem that brings together universities, research institutions, technology companies, and startups. This integrative approach creates a favorable environment for implementing scientific developments in industry, advancing smart manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and green economy practices. The campus actively focuses on digitalization, automation, energy efficiency, and the training of future professionals capable of applying advanced technological solutions in the real sector.
During the visit, participants became acquainted with several key laboratories and demonstration centers. Among them was SmartFactoryOWL, where solutions for smart manufacturing are developed and tested using robotic systems and artificial intelligence. The Center for Digital Innovation also attracted great interest, supporting startups that work in automation and IoT technologies. In addition, participants visited the Energy Laboratory, dedicated to testing technologies in renewable energy and resource efficiency.
The visit to the Lemgo campus clearly demonstrated that digitalization and sustainability not only go hand in hand, but also form a complementary strategy for industrial and educational progress. The application of smart technologies, transition to closed-loop production systems, waste reduction, and the lowering of carbon footprints all contribute to building a responsible and innovative future.
The study visit to the Lemgo Innovation Campus became an essential part of the CirculEC program, allowing participants to broaden their perspectives on the integration of sustainable technologies and find inspiration to implement similar initiatives at their home universities and institutions. For EKTU, this visit marked another step toward strengthening a practice-oriented educational model, where sustainability and innovation are interconnected components of future-oriented engineering education.
