As coordinator of the VLF4EU project, I am pleased to introduce the first edition of our newsletter. During these initial months, the consortium has worked intensively on defining a common language to enable smooth collaboration among partners and to establish a shared understanding of the Virtual Learning Factories concept. In parallel, we are agreeing on a unified architecture that will form the foundation for integrating the project’s various tools and services.

Each partner has defined several use cases linked to specific learning outcomes, identifying common factors that are shaping the project’s technical direction. Among the most notable advances is the launch of pilot tests in creating digital twins with collaborative robots, an area that highlights the applied and cross‑disciplinary nature of VLF4EU. Finally, the consortium has made progress in exploring how to integrate microcredentials into the project’s learning content, reinforcing the connection between practical training and the recognition of digital competences across Europe.

With this first edition, we aim to share the milestones that lay the groundwork for our upcoming activities and keep the community informed about the project’s progress. We hope this newsletter will strengthen dialogue, collaboration, and the shared commitment that drives VLF4EU toward its next achievements.

MecaBotiX, a French startup, is one of the partners in the VLF4EU project that develops modular mobile robotic manipulators called M3-Cooper. Our current roadmap focuses on the development of semi-autonomous robots controlled through teleoperation by human operators.

As all the other partners, MecaBotiX contributes to develop a tool for the facilitation of vocational training on advanced technologies. Additionally, this tool will also serve for training the future customers of MecaBotiX products. Our collaborative objective is to create a unified educational framework for emerging technologies, anchored in open-source software principles. This platform will ultimately serve as the foundation for training operators of our teleoperated robotic systems.

Over the past ten months, our team has made progress on several fronts. We have developed open-source 3D URDF models of our robots designed for seamless integration into the upcoming training platform. Additionally, we have containerized our simulation environment using Docker, enabling deployment across diverse software configurations.

Beyond the technical developments, the project has fostered valuable organizational and strategic opportunities for MecaBotiX. The consortium is evolving into a formal association, which will provide us with a platform to contribute startup and industrial perspectives on the proposed training programs. Furthermore, the project has enabled us to forge partnerships across multiple European countries, offering invaluable insights into diverse economic ecosystems and emerging trends in vocational training. These cross-border collaborations are enriching our understanding of regional industrial needs and shaping our vision for the future of technical education.

• Webinar on developing a digital twin for Universal robots' UR10
• VLF4EU project featured at EMO Hannover 2025
• VLF4EU project featured at the Manufacturing Congress in San Sebastián
• SCSKZ will take part in the European Industry 5.0 Summit on 26 November 2025.

       Check out our website to see what has been happening in the project

In the next months, VLF4EU will start piloting the first virtual training environments, marking a key step in transforming vocational learning across Europe. Partners across the consortium are now collaborating closely to deploy the virtual training platform and integrate the initial set of immersive learning scenarios.

At the same time, preparations are underway for the next project meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, hosted by GTC, where partners will review progress, align on upcoming milestones, and further refine the implementation strategy for the pilots.

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