Dear researchers: Turning industry into a laboratory — The UnICo experience

Abstract

¹ Academic researchers are also educators, and rightly so. Who better to teach than those at the forefront of their fields? Yet, dear researchers, there is a significant issue with this model: a disconnect from industrial realities. Industry often looks on with disbelief as you implement cutting-edge research using tools like the Eclipse IDE, an environment they abandoned years ago. To address this gap, we propose fostering academia-industry collaboration for capstone projects. By adopting an “Industry-as-a-Lab” approach, where real-world challenges guide research and education, you can equip students with industry-relevant skills and perhaps even gain new insights yourself. Using ASML as a case study, I illustrate how this model fosters meaningful learning, impactful research, and innovative solutions, effectively bridging the divide between academia and industry.