Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European manufacturing sector, especially those producing investment goods, are pressured to adapt circular economy principles, while facing complex challenges identifying suitable business models and technologies. Thus, this paper has two objectives: first investigating the barriers and opportunities for SMEs to adopt circular business models (CBMs) and leverage digital technologies in pursuit of sustainable value creation in a narrative review. The review highlights the critical role of digital solutions in enabling transparency and efficiency, while also emphasising the need for tailored models and collaborative approaches. Secondly, based on the findings and gaps, we discuss the pros and cons of strategic planning tools to overcome the identified barriers. Backcasting is presented as a suitable approach, with outcomes that can provide actionable insights for policy, research, and industry, offering a roadmap to support SMEs in transitioning towards circular, data-driven business models that underpin a resilient and sustainable regional economy.

Using experiential learning principles has a long tradition within engineering education, but often these principles have been one-of-a-kind games specifically designed either for a specific problem (like the different games on understanding and managing the bullwhip effect) or for a specific course. There is hardly any doubt that many of these games are good for nurturing the learning processes and contribute to the development of critical thinking skills among the students, but games age, are expensive in their development and often more a full-working prototype that is depending on one specific developer and designer, who might leave the university. Commercial-Off-The-Shelf games seem therefore to be an option to investigate. As commercial games they are often more robust and regularly maintained. Furthermore, often the GUIs are more attractive since more attention can be paid to this field. However, they are not targeted towards a specific course’s intended learning outcomes. This paper reports on the reflection we have on how to overcome challenges and improve the learning process of students at bachelor and master levels at three different universities during the last 2.5 years.

Rapid technological advances and increased digitalization provide new opportunities, but they also forge new prerequisites for future employees, as well as organizations, especially companies, concerning their digital readiness and preparedness to mitigate digital threats. The increased numbers of cyber-attacks indicate that more attention should be paid to protecting production means and critical infrastructure against cyber-attacks, and building adequate skills to protect private data, not only personal, but also business data, has become a necessity. This paper presents an analysis of existing literature (SLR) and then assesses the needs of training and education in the field of cybersecurity and resilience based on the results of a survey applied within Romanian IT companies that develop and maintain software applications for production management. The survey aimed to identify general awareness, practice, and response to cybersecurity issues. The results will be used for further research on specific areas of cyber security training and intervention.

360° spaces are representations of real locations created using 360° images, enabling viewers to walk through by changing position. As basis for virtual field trips, they have proven to be valuable learning tools. In technological terms, 360° spaces are to be characterized as single-user applications. In contrast, Social VR applications are characterized by multi-user capability and user-specific avatars. From a learning perspective, the concepts of collaborative learning and embodiment have long been proposed as conducive to learning. Both concepts might be supported using Social VR. However, there is hardly any knowledge about the use of 360° spaces and Social VR. Accordingly, the research question arises how Social VR-based 360° spaces are perceived by learners. This article presents a mixed-method evaluation study (N = 16) – using a questionnaire and focus group discussions – of a 360° space based on the Social VR platform Mozilla Hubs used on PCs. The study highlighted the opportunities offered by Social VR-based 360° spaces but also revealed several challenges that need to be addressed to embrace the potential of Social VR-based 360° spaces to be utilized regularly in education. Accordingly, the study represents relevant preparatory work for the use of multi-user 360° spaces in playful learning environments, such as educational escape rooms.

Entertainment Computing (EC) is a sub-discipline of computer science that deals with the creation of digital artifacts for hedonistic purposes. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for overall sustainable development – ecologically, socially and economically – at the global, national and local level. Several positive examples of the use of EC artefacts, such as games, that have contributed to the achievement of SDGs, e.g. educational games in formal learning contexts, have prompted us to ask the overarching question of how EC might contribute to achieving the SDGs. To get an initial overview of the artifacts used and the targeted SDGs, we conducted a rapid literature review using the Scopus database. From a total of 860 records, we were able to identify 31 articles in which EC artifacts were used to support the achievement of various SDGs. The analysis shows that seven articles addressed all SDGs. Furthermore, in the remaining articles 13 out of 17 SDGs were specifically addressed. These findings induce a more detailed investigation of the contribution of EC to the SDGs promising as a means of deriving best practices for the use of EC artefacts to advance sustainable development worldwide.

Digital learning environments exhibiting spatial dimensions, such as VR experiences or virtual labs, have become increasingly common in recent years. At the same time, it is known that gamification, i.e., the application of game-like mechanisms, might support the motivational design of learning environments. However, so far, there seems to be no systematic overview on whether and how spatial dimensions are incorporated into gamification mechanisms. Accordingly, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify gamification mechanisms that use spatial dimensions. Out of 849 articles we finally included 11 articles found in the three databases ScienceDirect, IEEE, and ACM DL that conducted gamification in the context of spatial digital learning environments. For the most part, the gamification mechanisms used in these 11 articles did not relate to any spatial dimension. Conclusively, we state that there have been few approaches to gamification exploiting the spatial dimension. Given the limited findings in the literature, we propose developing a model to bridge existing gaps and support a structured approach to incorporating spatial dimensions into gamification mechanisms. Accordingly, we contribute to enhancing spatial digital learning environments with further motivational cues through spatial gamification mechanics.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the manufacturing sector introduces new challenges and demands for the engineering workforce in the evolving European economy. This paper investigates how advancements in AI tools, especially in manufacturing, necessitate a shift in engineering education to equip graduates with relevant skills and ethical understanding. While AI is not new to manufacturing, its ongoing development and increased accessibility bring forth fresh challenges related to required competencies and ethical considerations. Furthermore, this work explores the potential of incorporating recent AI tools, such as ChatGPT and other generative adversarial networks, into engineering education. This is illustrated through a case study of a master’s level digitalization course. In this course, AI tools aimed to help students bridge their programming knowledge gaps and educate them on ethical AI use, providing a model adaptable to lifelong learning courses in the field. This inquiry also addresses the broader concerns related to AI misuse in academic settings and the subsequent difficulties in plagiarism detection and accurate learning outcome assessment. The discussion does not argue against AI adoption but emphasizes managing its inadvertent impacts on the industry and society. By integrating emerging technologies and their ethical use into the curriculum, the engineering education system can better align with the shifting demands of the workforce in an increasingly digitalized manufacturing landscape.

Purpose: This research analyses challenges faced by users at various levels in planning and designing participatory simulation models of cities. It aims to identify issues that hinder experts from maximising the effectiveness of the SUMO tool. Additionally, evaluating current methods highlights their strengths and weaknesses, facilitating the use of participatory simulation advantages to address these issues. Finally, the presented case studies illustrate the diversity of user groups and emphasise the need for further development of blueprints.

Design/methodology/approach: In this research, action research was used to assess and improve a step-by-step guideline. The guideline's conceptual design is based on stakeholder analysis results from those involved in developing urban logistics scenarios and feedback from potential users. A two-round process of application and refinement was conducted to evaluate and enhance the guideline's initial version.

Findings: The guidelines still demand an advanced skill level in simulation modelling, rendering them less effective for the intended audience. However, they have proven beneficial in a simulation course for students, emphasising the importance of developing accurate conceptual models and the need for careful implementation.

Originality/value: This paper introduces a step-by-step guideline designed to tackle challenges in modelling urban logistics scenarios using SUMO simulation software. The guideline's effectiveness was tested and enhanced through experiments involving diverse groups of students, varying in their experience with simulation modelling. This approach demonstrates the guideline's applicability and adaptability across different skill levels.

This paper applies an explorative literature review to analyze the generalizability of the lifecycle of industrial smart Product-Service Systems (PSS), comprising both capital goods and associated services. It investigates the factors influencing sustainability throughout this lifecycle, considering the complexities inherent in such systems. The article discusses whether assessing the sustainability of services versus goods within the PSS framework requires distinct criteria. By analyzing existing lifecycle models and indicator frameworks, the research identifies key dimensions and criteria essential for describing and evaluating economic and environmental sustainability across the lifecycle. Key questions addressed include the identification of dimensions and criteria crucial for sustainability assessment, considering the complexities and uncertainties inherent in the lifecycle of capital goods. The findings provide a first step towards a framework for measuring and improving sustainability within our context. To better understand the dynamics and uncertainties along the lifecycle, enhanced collaboration between the involved domains is recommended. This could be realized through industrial case studies and comprehensive impact assessments.

The concept of the industrial metaverse represents a revolutionary fusion of digital and physical realms within the industrial sector. This paper delves into the intersection of the internet of things (IoT) and the metaverse, aiming to define its emerging landscape through an analysis of current literature and identification of future research directions. Employing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including bibliometric analysis and the Visualization of Similarities (VOS) technique, our study maps the field of the industrial metaverse. The PRISMA method, which we used for our contribution, provides a systematic approach to our research process, and provides a base for the sequent thematic analysis, where a thesaurus is used to account for keyword variations, enriching our understanding of the metaverse's potential in industrial applications. We argue that the industrial metaverse is not merely a technological advancement but opens the way in which industries operate, collaborate, and innovate. This paper aims to establish a foundational framework for future research and development in the industrial metaverse, offering a clear and precise overview about the current state of research on the metaverse and internet of things.