The Center for Knowledge Management (CKM) recently hosted an event and open forum in North Macedonia, dedicated to sharing best digital practices in the laboratory sector and Vocational Education and Training (VET).

Organized as part of the European Erasmus+ "Lab of the Future" project, the event aimed to map the road toward a digital and green transition for modern laboratories.

A Sustainable, Hybrid Gathering

Aligning with the project’s core green objectives, the event was conducted in a hybrid format. The event successfully brought together 35 registered participants, including laboratory technicians, managers, VET educators, and state institution representatives. Notably, 15 participants joined the event online, which eliminated their need to travel and directly resulted in concrete CO2 emission savings. Furthermore, all materials and European guides were distributed digitally to eliminate paper waste.

Showcasing Local and European Excellence

The event provided a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, bridging local achievements with European trends:

 - Local Success Story: Prof. Dr. Lence Velkoska-Markovska from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food (UKIM) opened the case studies with an inspiring local example. She detailed their successful integration of a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), which connected analytical instruments with central databases, ultimately reducing sample processing time and minimizing manual data entry errors.

 - European Best Practices: Following the local perspective, CKM presented key insights from the comprehensive European guide featuring 70 successful digital practices. Attendees were introduced to cutting-edge use cases, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for knowledge retention in Germany, full LIMS automation in France, Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) welding simulators in Spain, and the use of IoT air quality sensors to boost student engagement in Spanish VET centers.

Open Forum: Navigating the Barriers to Digitalization

The presentations set the stage for a lively and open debate among the participants. The discussion revealed that laboratories in North Macedonia share the exact same challenges mapped across Europe. The main barriers identified include:

 - High costs and budgetary limitations.

 - Difficulties integrating new software with outdated, legacy IT systems.

 - A general lack of digital skills and resistance to change among personnel.

Participants also raised important points regarding the ethical and practical vulnerabilities of AI, heavily emphasizing the "human in the loop" concept—the idea that AI must be strictly monitored by human experts rather than relied upon blindly.

The Key Takeaway

Despite the challenges, the consensus from the forum was clear: the digital transition brings immense and necessary benefits to laboratories, yielding massive productivity boosts, reducing human error, and guaranteeing better data safety.

The most valuable lesson shared during the event was that true digitalization is not merely about purchasing new software. It is a continuous journey that requires proper planning, multidisciplinary teams, and the early involvement of laboratory staff to ensure that digital tools perfectly match real-world workflows.

To learn more about the project and explore the 70 best digital practices, visit the official Lab of the Future website.