UNIZG students traveled to ELTE for the annual Joint Workshop. A unique initiative to merge academic tracks, visit industry leaders like Bosch and aiMotive, and strengthen the IFRoS Family bond.
The third semester of the Eramus Mundus Master in Intelligent Field Robotic systems (IFRoS) is a special one. It is the moment when our cohort splits into two tracks: some students move to the University of Zagreb (UNIZG), while others settle at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest.
This division is excellent for their academic growth, allowing them to dive deep into specific technologies. However, we know that missing your classmates is the hard part of mobility!
But there is more to it than just friendship. We believe that an Erasmus Mundus student should not be limited to just one perspective. We want our graduates to have a holistic view of the field robotics landscape in Europe.
So, what happens when you want to reconnect the group and expand their academic horizons? We organize a dedicated study trip to reunite the cohort.
That is why, for the second year in a row, we planned and executed the Joint IFRoS Workshop in Budapest.
What started last year as a pilot initiative to reconnect the group has now become a fixed tradition in our academic calendar. The feedback from the previous cohort was so positive that we knew we had to make this happen again.
On December 4th and 5th, we brought the students based in Zagreb to Hungary to join their peers at ELTE. By opening the doors of ELTE to the UNIZG group, we bridge the gap between the two specializations. This turns the semester into a truly global and unique experience, ensuring that every student understands the full potential of the Consortium, not just the path they chose. The agenda was designed to showcase the specific strengths of Budapest:
- Bosch Budapest Innovation Campus: A dive into corporate R&D with PhD presentations, and a visit to the newly opened CU.BE interactive exhibition featuring examples of Bosch’s current and future innovations.
- aiMotive: Connecting directly with our Field Robotics core by exploring autonomous driving software and hardware. Students listened to an introductory presentation about the company, a short talk about the cameras used by aiMotive, and even got to peek into their test cars.
- GIM Robotics: An inspiring online session with Mika Vainio on mobile robotics and the different projects undertaken by the Finnish robotics company.
- ELTE Cartography Department: Hands-on access to the mapping labs where ELTE cartography students work daily, as well as a short but informative session on 3D modeling in cartography.
- IFRoS student demos: Students at ELTE work in small groups throughout the semester, exploring different projects within field robotics. During the workshop, they demoed their progress to each other using Pomona and Silvanus, the ELTE robots.
- ELTE PhD presentations: ELTE has a number of robotics PhD students who shared their research with the IFRoS cohort, as a sneak peek into what their future could look like if they want to remain in academia after graduation.
Beyond the labs and the industry visits, there is a deeper purpose to these workshops. We are dedicated to building a solid community—the IFRoS Family—that lasts far beyond graduation day.
We want to express my sincere gratitude to Réka and Zoltán at ELTE. You were the perfect hosts, organizing a flawless agenda and welcoming the students with open arms. And a special thank you to Tamara at UNIZG, whose tireless work behind the scenes made the logistics of moving the group possible.