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What is Industry 5.0: the Industry 4.0 revolution?

  • 22 January 2025
  • 4 minutos
  • Blog

In recent decades, we have witnessed an unprecedented transformation in the industrial sector thanks to digitalisation and automation. This process, known as Industry 4.0, has marked a turning point in the way companies produce goods and services. However, a new revolution is underway: Industry 5.0, which promises to go beyond technology to place people and sustainability at the heart of the production model.

In this article we will explore what Industry 5.0 is, how it differs from Industry 4.0 and how it is transforming the future of industries globally.

What is Industry 5.0?

Industry 5.0 is an evolution of the Industry 4.0 paradigm with ahuman-centric  approach aiming to create a more sustainable and human-centred industry by combining technical skills with a humanistic and creative vision.

What are the differences between Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0?

We can group the main differences between the two around three main areas:

Human-centric approach

Firstly, the emphasis that Industry 5.0 places on people. While Industry 4.0 focuses on optimising processes through automation and cyber-physical systems, Industry 5.0 proposes the reintegration of the human touch within industrial environments, promoting collaboration between humans and machines.

Sustainability and social responsibility

 Industry 5.0 incorporates sustainability and social responsibility as central pillars, promoting practices that minimise environmental impact and maximise the efficient use of resources. This, although present in Industry 4.0, was secondary to the goals of automation and efficiency.

Technology adoption and flexibility

Industry 4.0 is based on using technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and Cloud Computing to improve processes, while Industry 5.0 goes further by integrating emerging technologies such as emotional artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and augmented reality to create more adaptive, personalised and flexible work environments. 

What are the advantages of Industry 5.0?

Industry 5.0 has the following advantages:

  • Improved quality of work life: by putting the focus on the human being, Industry 5.0 seeks to improve ergonomics and safety in the workplace, resulting in greater worker satisfaction and productivity.
  • Embedded innovation: Human-machine collaboration can foster greater creativity and innovation by combining human intuition and expertise with the precision and analytical capabilities of machines.
  • Customised production: enables greater flexibility in production, adapting quickly to customised market needs through direct human interaction in the manufacturing process.
  • Improved sustainability: promotes more sustainable and ethical production practices, aligned with global sustainable development goals.

Master in Industry 5.0

UDIT, University of Design, Innovation and Technology is the first Spanish university to offer an Official Master's Degree in Industry 5.0 With a pioneering curriculum, the aim is to train people capable of leading the technological change that companies need.

It is a Master's degree in technological governance, aimed not only at technologists (people with technical and technological profiles) but at a broad profile, who will be able to combine technological skills with a humanistic and creative vision.

The curriculum prepares all those interested in leading the next industrial revolution, to understand the essential technical aspects of this new industry, training them in the main scenarios of use and the advantages of technologies such as Cloud Computing, Blockchain, Big Data, digital twins or GenIA, while introducing them to key aspects when introducing these technologies in the company such as sustainability, circular economy, smart manufacturing, digital transformation and business models.

👇Discoverthe full syllabus👇

At the end of their training, students will have an essential technological profile. Among the most outstanding professional opportunities are positions such as director of technological innovation, director of digital transformation, specialist in collaborative robotics, artificial intelligence engineer, sustainability and circular economy consultant or head of automation projects. 

Javier Pascual, director of the International Campus of Technology, Innovation and Applied Sciences at UDIT and responsible for the development of this new master's degree, explains: "Industry 5.0 represents a paradigm shift that not only redefines industrial processes, but also how we understand the relationship between technology, sustainability and the human factor. The key to success in Industry 5.0 lies not only in mastering the tools, but also in developing a mindset that allows us to lead the transition towards more sustainable environments, and in this sense, UDIT is positioned as the place where the technological profiles that are essential to face this change are built".

The training takes place at the International Campus of Technology, Innovation and Applied Sciences, more than 7,000 m2 that combine the best theoretical training with intensive use of laboratories and experimental spaces to apply the different technologies learned during the course. It is home to the Innovation Hub, a unique university ecosystem of co-creation and entrepreneurship where companies and science and technology centres come together.

Do you want to lead the transition towards this new industrial paradigm? Find out more here.

More information about UDIT

UDIT presents its Master in Industry 5.0

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