Embracing digital and resilient industry: TalTech’s milestone master programme shapes the future of engineering education
As Europe continues to transform its industrial base through digitalisation, sustainability, and resilience, universities are rethinking the way engineers are educated. Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) is at the forefront of this change with its renewed Industrial Engineering and Management master’s programme (MARM), developed in close collaboration with the MERIT (Master Education for Resilience, Innovation and Technology) project.
This programme is one of the few in Europe that is fully aligned with the Milestone Master Study Programme concept — a new generation of master’s education that integrates smart technologies, system thinking, and digital skills with strong industrial relevance.
From traditional curriculum to transformation-driven education
TalTech’s updated MARM programme was launched in 2024, introducing significant curricular innovations. These include:
- Modular structure with microcredentials in digital transformation and manufacturing technologies
- Challenge-based learning projects, co-created with industrial partners
- Courses focused on cyber-physical systems, AI in production, digital twins, and smart supply chains
- Collaborative teaching with MERIT partner universities and access to joint digital resources
This transformation empowers students not only to understand smart production systems but also to lead their design and improvement in real-world settings.
Bridging Academia and Industry
A key element of the programme is its close integration with Estonian and European manufacturing companies. Through real-life case studies, internships, and student innovation sprints (like the MERIThON), students work directly on solving industrial challenges. This collaboration ensures that students graduate with skills that match current and future demands of digital industry.
Furthermore, the programme has become a platform for multidisciplinary learning, with students from backgrounds in mechanical engineering, IT, and business working together on innovation-driven projects.
A model for European collaboration in engineering education
TalTech’s programme is not evolving in isolation. Through its role in the MERIT project, it contributes to and benefits from an international educational ecosystem. The Milestone Master Study Programme concept promotes:
- Harmonisation of curricula across institutions
- Joint courses and virtual mobility
- Co-development of digital teaching materials
- Shared best practices in modern teaching and learning methods
This approach is already inspiring other universities in the MERIT network to modernise their own programmes and has increased the visibility of TalTech’s efforts across Europe.
Looking Ahead
With the successful implementation of its new programme, TalTech continues to invest in future-proof engineering education. The next steps include expanding international mobility, launching additional dual degree pathways, and embedding sustainability metrics into student projects.
As a part of the Digital Europe framework, the programme stands as a model for how universities can support smart, resilient, and interconnected industry through education.
This master’s degree programme is organised within the framework of the European MERIT project, through the funding of the Digital Europe Programme, in collaboration with three European universities, various SMEs, digital innovation hubs, and research centers.
This project has received funding from the European Union under grant agreement No 101083531 Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the HADEA can be held responsible for them.
