On 24 September 2026, Pro²Future welcomed partners to its 11th Partner Conference in the Aula of the Alte Technik at TU Graz. Guests from industry, research and politics used the afternoon to discuss current developments, share results and strengthen existing partnerships. The networking lunch at the start already showed how lively the exchange within our network is.
Opening by the Provinces and the University
Provincial Minister Markus Achleitner (Upper Austria), Provincial Minister DI Willibald Ehrenhöfer (Styria) and Rector Univ.-Prof. Dr. Horst Bischof (TU Graz) opened the conference. Their welcoming addresses underlined the importance of cooperation between the Linz and Graz sites and between science and the manufacturing industry.
Framing Keynote: Human and Artificial Intelligence
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Alois Ferscha, Scientific Director of Pro²Future, set the stage with “HI and AI – Contrast and Similarity”: a journey from Alan Turing to Physical AI, which interacts with the real world – and the question of how free human decisions really are compared to those of machines.
Scientific Keynote: The Social Relationship between Humans and Robots
We were delighted to welcome Assoc. Prof. Mag.phil. Dr.phil. Astrid Weiss, a pioneer of human-robot interaction. Her talk was titled “Co-Shaping the Social Human-Robot Relation – Yes Please, But How?”. Using examples from factories and care settings, she showed that social relationships between humans and robots are not a property of the robot – they only emerge through interaction with people and their environment.
Certificate Ceremony: First Graduates of “Cognitive Industry Engineering”
After the coffee break came a special moment: the first graduates of the university course “Cognitive Industry Engineering” received their certificates. The course was jointly developed by TU Graz and Pro²Future and provides specialists and managers from the manufacturing industry with practical AI skills.
Over nine weeks and three modules (5 ECTS), participants acquired the tools for applying AI in their own companies: from the technical foundations of cognitive systems, sensors and industrial communication, through machine learning, deep learning and computer vision, to sustainable system design and the requirements of the EU AI Act. The combination of on-site sessions, self-study and practical transfer ensured that what was learned could flow directly into concrete projects.
The certificates were presented by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Stefan Vorbach, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Marcel Baunach (Academic Director, TU Graz), Hon.-Prof. (FH) Dr. Ernst Kreuzer MSc and Dr. Markus Jäger MLBT (Course Director, Pro²Future). 10 graduates (out of 17 participants) received their TU Graz certificate.
Congratulations to all graduates! The next course starts on 2 April 2027; applications are open until 26 February 2027. Further information is available on the TU Graz website.
Industry Plenum and Pro²Future Services
In the Industry Plenum, practice took centre stage: Alexander Rinderhofer, CEO of GAW technologies, and DI Gerd Hribernig, CEO of Pro²Future, discussed with four graduates of the course how AI skills are reaching the manufacturing industry and how the course content can be put into practice in concrete projects. Gerd Hribernig then presented Pro²Future’s services and showed how partner companies can benefit from research cooperation, continuing education and the centre’s network.
Photo Gallery
©Fotoatelier Robert Frankl, 2026
