LABORATORY 4.0 – RENAISSANCE OF EDUCATION

The paradigm of Industry 4.0 (I4) has brought with it a lot of significant innovations and changes, which are very far-reaching and quite extensive. These changes require an appropriate social and human response. Since the I4-concept is based on a multidisciplinary approach, it is to be expected that special human skills will be needed that will be able to respond to the requirements of the mentioned concept. So far, classical fundamental and applied sciences offer traditional knowledge and approach, but this is no longer enough to educate the workers of the future. The I4 concept sets a new task for the educational system related to the efficient sublimation of several traditional sciences into one new approach that will ensure proper human functioning in the Industry 4.0 paradigm. One of the mechanisms that ensures the necessary education of workers of the future is Laboratory 4.0 or Learning factory (LF). LF is one of the mechanisms that is multifunctional. Its main function is scientific- research work, and in addition it has very good resources that are applicable in the education system. Regarding the research domain, LF offers the opportunity for scientists and students to improve and optimize existing technologies while simultaneously developing and creating completely new technologies. It is possible to immediately test new technologies and see their functionality and effectiveness in practice. With this, it is possible to optimize the new technology, which eventually becomes a product with its own increased value. The new technology created becomes an innovation that can further be transferred to the end user. LF offers multi-phase development of new products with the possibility of direct implementation in the educational system, i.e. student participation is possible in all product development phases, which is an exceptional benefit in the field of education, i.e. Its quality. This paper has the task of explaining the function of LF as an integral part of the new way of education, as well as the benefits it brings.