Rimini drew on its industrial expertise to secure a major conference on robotics.
More than 800 delegates are expected to attend The European Robotics Forum (ERF), one of the most important international robotics congresses, in Rimini,
13th-15th March, 2024.
The team behind the bid included two professors from local universities, the congress organiser AIM Group International, the city, and the Palacongressi Rimini
Conference Center.
The joint bid highlighted the presence of various industrial districts
(automotive, wellness, food, packaging, and big data), strongly related to
robotics, within the Emilia-Romagna region.
The ERF’s planned scientific programme
will now include a series of technical visits to companies in these supply
chains, including I-RIM, Leonardo Labs, SIRI and ANIPLA.
The ERF is run by the International Association
euRobotics, which aims to 'promote research, development, and innovation in the
robotics field, to create economic and societal benefits'.
Rather than adopting a rigid congress
format with didactic sessions, the ERF aims to be an engaging forum designed to
foster the sharing of experience, knowledge, and practice.
Professor Lorenzo Marconi from University of Bologna and Professor Bruno
Siciliano, University of Naples Federico II, played an instrumental role in winning the bid for Rimini.
Marconi said: “ERF is one of the most important events for the
international scientific community in the field of robotics and artificial
intelligence. The forum differs from other congresses both because of the joint
involvement of the academic and industrial communities, and because it is used
by the European Union to promote new calls for bids in the field of robotics
and artificial intelligence.
“The support of the University of Bologna, the Emilia-Romagna Region, local
institutions, and of many industrial companies in the area were decisive in
bringing the event to Italy. As a professor at the Alma Mater University and as
a Rimini citizen, I am doubly happy with the result achieve.”
In recent years, ERF has been held in Slovenia, the United Kingdom,
Finland, Romania, Spain and most recently in the Netherlands. France, Norway and Germany were shortlisted for 2024, with Stuttgart, at
the centre of an important industrial district, a particularly strong
candidate.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
