HERD/ICT PROJECT:

Bosnian–Norwegian research based innovation for

development of new, environmental friendly, competitive
robot technology for selected target groups
[Reference # 2011/1381]
This project is funded by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Project title
BANOROB: Bosnian–Norwegian research based innovation for development of new, environmental
friendly, competitive robot technology for selected target groups

Short description
Western Balkan has important challenges regarding industrial growth and compliance to the working
standards and regulative established by in the western part of Europe. To adapt to a modern, competitive,
environment friendly industry in Western Balkan, high effort has to be put into the development of
especially small and medium sized companies (SME).

The University of Banja Luka (UBL) offers highly qualified education within basic engineering courses,
however, there is a missing link between the university and the industry causing that the industry in a
limited extent is able to utilize sufficiently the people being graduated from the university. This
unfortunately, causes a leak of highly qualified people to other European countries.

The BANOROB project is intended to establish a high level industrial related education within
production engineering at University of Banja Luka. There will be a special focus on robotics and
automation because this knowledge is essential in a long term perspective, but in addition, includes
methodology which automatically leads to efficient companies even though manual work force is used
as a first step.

BANOROB will transfer the knowledge from the Norwegian university models at Narvik University
College and The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, integrate it with the high industrial
research competence at the high tech robotics company in Trondheim, PPM AS, and build an education
program integrated with the basic study courses at University of Banja Luka. A part of this will be a
study exchange program between the partners.

The cohesion in the BANOROB project is a virtual, joint laboratory where the partners can share
laboratory resources between each other, and with other universities worldwide. This offers access to
huge laboratory facilities with only needing to invest a limited amount of resources locally.

Main goal
Contribute to industrial growth in Western Balkan by providing highly educated people in production
engineering with a special focus on robotics and automation

Objectives
a) Establish an attractive student program within production engineering with a special focus on
robotics and automation at University of Banja Luka by including high technological level study
courses, advanced laboratory facilities, industrial relevant student projects.
b) Establish an exchange program between University of Banja Luka, Narvik University College
and The Norwegian University of Science and Technology in collaboration with PPM AS to
provide attraction to students, bilateral knowledge transfer and industrial related student projects.

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 c) Establish post-qualifying education courses within production engineering with a special focus
on robotics and automation. These courses are dedicated to enhance the present knowledge
within the industry in Western Balkan.
d) Develop Virtual Joint Laboratory for Advanced Information Technology in Production, VALIP;
- an advanced laboratory for education and research within robotics and production engineering.
VALIP is a virtual integration of the laboratories at the respective partners; thus, enabling access
to the all of the laboratories from any of the partners in the project.
e) Prepare a business concept for a high tech company in the Innovation Center in Banja Luka with
the intention to commercialize parts of the research from the BANOROB project for the market
in Western Balkan.

Organization
Project leader
Narvik University College, Department of Technology. Contact: Prof. Bjørn Solvang (bjs@hin.no)

Project partners
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Production and Quality Engineering.
Contact: Prof. Terje K. Lien (terje.k.lien@ntnu.no)

University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Contact: Prof. Tihomir Latinovich
(drtiho@gmail.com)

PPM AS. Contact: Prof. Trygve Thomeseen (trygve.thomessen@ppm.no)

Innovation Centre Banja Luka. Contact: Vladimir Corda (vladimir.corda@icbl.ba)

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