Agricultural mechanics, ever closer alliance between universities and companies
At the 44th edition of EIMA, the international exhibition of agricultural and gardening machinery, collaboration between universities and companies has been strengthened for the development of research and innovation in mechanics and plant engineering applied to agro-food and forestry biosystems. A seminar promoted by the Universities of Bologna and Foggia to enhance PhDs in this field.
The alliance between companies that produce agricultural machinery and universities is getting closer and closer. An agreement thanks to which companies can develop new products or innovate production processes to better respond to market demand, and universities come into contact with the production world. Confirmation comes from EIMA, the international exhibition of agricultural machinery currently taking place in the pavilions of BolognaFiere, and in particular from the workshop on innovation in mechanics and plant engineering applied to agro-food and forestry biosystems promoted by Distal of the University of Bologna and Safe of the University of Foggia, in collaboration with FederUnacoma, the trade association of agricultural machinery. Distal is the Department of Agri-food Science and Technology of the University of Bologna. And together with the teachers of Foggia has organized the seminar to enhance the path of study of PhDs in this field that follow the achievement of the master's degree. "When we talk about innovation in this sector we are referring to both agricultural mechanics and plant engineering in agrifood - explains Michele Mattetti, professor of agricultural mechanics of the Alma Mater -. And we have two realities traveling at different speeds. On the one hand, there are the large companies that invest heavily in research and development. On the other hand, there are the small businesses that have more difficulty in sustaining innovation". Strategic, both for the companies and for the universities, is the partnership that every year in Emilia-Romagna alone brings twenty trainees into the companies. "A fruitful collaboration - Mattetti continues - that for the student almost always ends with employment and that allows the university to be in close contact with the production system. Very often, in fact, research comes from the needs of companies".
The latest FederUnacoma press releases
Agricultural machinery, market down in the first three months of the year
Agricultural machinery: appointment at EIMA International
FederUnacoma: a strategic plan for agromechanics