Rabat — Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is taking a bold step toward accelerating Africa’s industrial future with the launch of the Smart Factory Academy, a permanent training and technology showcase center aimed at supporting the continent’s transition to Industry 4.0. A permanent technology displayUnlike a traditional training center, the Smart Factory Academy is envisioned as a living laboratory where the latest industrial technologies are on permanent display. “They can visit a smart factory or a company industrial facility that is very developed in new technologies,” he detailed. “And then they can exchange ideas and they can see on the ground what’s happening in other countries or in other companies.”A pan-African visionWhile the Smart Factory Academy will be based in Casablanca, its ambitions extend across the continent. As the continent seeks to leverage its growing industrial base and young workforce, initiatives like the Smart Factory Academy could prove crucial in ensuring Africa doesn’t just participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution — but helps shape it.