Connecting Research, Innovation, and Industrial Practice

Artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and process management optimization are no longer distant topics for the future—they are core components of today’s industry. That is why MASAM initiated a special working meeting in June 2026 at the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology of STU (MTF STU) in Trnava.

The goal of this exceptional meeting was to officially introduce partners and establish a collaborative platform for advancing research, innovation, and knowledge transfer into practice. Representatives of leaders from both education and industry gathered at one table:

• Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, STU in Trnava (Vice-Dean Prof. Pavol Tanuška, Institute Director Prof. Ivan Buranský)
• Faculty of Management, Comenius University in Bratislava (Dean Prof. Peter Štarchoň, Prof. Anna Pilková, Vice-Dean Assoc. Prof. Ján Papula)
• Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, STU in Bratislava (Ing. Michal Jeleň, Ing. Peter Telek)
• VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava (Vice-Dean Prof. Jana Petrů, Assoc. Prof. Marek Pagáč)
• HMC Engineering System and MASAM

The meeting opened with a speech by Milan Mandák, CEO of MASAM s.r.o., who thanked all participants and highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry in joint projects:

“True innovation does not happen behind closed laboratory doors or exclusively on factory floors. It happens right at their intersection. For us, young people and students are key—we want to give them the opportunity to grow on real-world projects so that they don’t just keep up with trends, but shape them alongside us,” emphasized Milan Mandák during his opening remarks.

Although this was the first meeting in this specific composition, several participants highlighted existing long-term partnerships—such as the 20+ year collaboration between MASAM and MTF STU in Trnava, or the 4+ year partnership with the Faculty of Management at Comenius University.

A major focus of the discussion was dedicated to the upcoming Technology and Development Center (TVC) project, which represents a long-term vision for research-industry collaboration. This concept paves the way for faculty branch offices located directly in connection with real production facilities. The program also included a technical tour of MTF STU workplaces, where participants visited the top-tier CE5AM center, specialized laboratories, and the existing MASAM branch facility.

What are the next steps? Following this successful initial meeting, we will follow up as early as autumn 2026 with presentations showcasing concrete progress on new project goals. Together, we are also building momentum towards the Cutting Tools 2026 expert conference, scheduled for November 11–13 at MTF STU.