POLES OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
Sustainable Energy Pole of Research Excellence (SEPRE)
Energy-related research in the Republic of Mauritius, and more largely in the region and in SIDS, should take into account technological evolution but also uncertainties related to energy issues and the moral imperative of sustainability. We should not re-invent the wheel, but adapt and transform into our context innovations from elsewhere whilst consolidating interdisciplinary endeavours based on a rich history of Energy Studies conducted at the University of Mauritius (UoM) since its creation.
The Sustainable Energy Pole of Research Excellence (SEPRE) pulls expertise from 5 Faculties and 10 Departments of UoM and brings together several high-calibre researchers having successfully teamed up in the past. In addition, young researchers in emerging fields of energy research ranging from prosumer behaviourial studies to intelligent energy systems have now joined in, enhancing also the holistic approach that SEPRE aims at giving to applied research.
Real-Time Engineering for Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 is the subset of the fourth industrial revolution that concerns industry. However, the fourth industrial revolution encompasses areas which are not normally classified as just an industry, such as smart cities, for instance. Although the terms "industry 4.0" and "fourth industrial revolution" are often used interchangeably, "industry 4.0" factories have machines which are augmented with wireless connectivity and sensors, connected to a system that can visualise the entire production line and make decisions on its own. In essence, industry 4.0 is the trend towards automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies and processes which include cyber-physical systems (CPS), ultra reliable and low latency pervasive communications with 5G, the internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, cognitive computing and artificial intelligence.
