Internationally renowned researcher arrives at the University of Pannonia

Under a programme to strengthen the international competitiveness of Hungarian research teams, 12 foreign visiting professors will join research in Hungarian research centres, research institutes and higher education institutions in 2025. The Department of Systems Engineering at the University of Pannonia has also successfully applied, and at the invitation of Dr. Tamás Ruppert, Prof. Dr. David Carlos Romero Díaz, an internationally renowned researcher, will join the group for three months, further strengthening the international scientific relations and professional recognition of the institution.

The proposals submitted were evaluated by a 13-member jury of experts in the relevant disciplines and, after a thorough peer review and comparison, a proposal for the ranking of excellence was made to the Secretary General of the MTA. Successful applicants were awarded grants ranging from HUF 6 million to HUF 12 million for joint research lasting 3-6 months, including the University of Pannonia.

Prof. Dr. David Romero has been in close contact with the University of Pannonia for many years, where he co-founded and leads the international research network Operator 4.0 with Dr. Tamás Ruppert. In 2023, the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Pannonia hosted the first Operator 4.0 Symposium, where more than 25 international leading researchers participated in a closed workshop. As a result of the collaboration, the University joined the IFIP International Research Association and Professor Romero's support has inspired several PhD students at the University of Pannonia. Based on the proposal of the Faculty of Engineering and the decision of the Senate of the University of Pannonia, the Pannonia Award for outstanding professional work was presented to him in 2024.

Together with the research team, he will work on the development of the Operator 4.0/5.0 concept of full-Output-Efficiency (O-OEE), which will be a key indicator for human-centred industry. The main indicators of O-OEE - availability, productivity, quality - will focus on human factors.

For his outstanding professional work, Prof. Dr. David Romero received the Pannonia Award 2024.

Experiments at the University of Pannonia's Industry 5.0 laboratory will investigate the relationship between wearable sensors and the technological and physical environment. The results will be used to evaluate the usefulness of O-OEE as a real-time indicator and to analyse the long-term performance and well-being of the operators supported by the technology. Young researchers and PhD students will be involved in the research, contributing to scientific advancement and strengthening international collaborations.