The central place of Industry 4.0 belongs to smart services focused both on production and other areas such as markets, logistics services, and transport. They also have a significant impact on agriculture - obtaining quality planting seeds, the use of adequate fertilizers and the optimization of the complete chain of processing of agricultural products. Smart services also play a significant role in healthcare, for example decentralized monitoring of patients' condition through continuous data acquisition and personalized interventions combined with diagnostics enhanced by intelligent algorithms. A prerequisite for the successful implementation of smart services is the introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT), data and services in industrial processes as well as relevant areas such as semantic technologies, artificial intelligence and digital product modelling.

For the successful development of smart products and services, designers must quickly and flexibly integrate new trends and standards into their solutions. Therefore, the application of efficient engineering of the new generation of smart products and services is necessary. Modern engineering activities are characterized by high interdisciplinarity, networking, complexity and heterogeneity. Thus, the general goal of the SPaSE Jean Monnet module is to promote EU standards and recommendations in the field of efficient application of engineering of the new generation of smart products and services.

The term engineering can be defined as the creative application of scientific knowledge and mathematical methods for the development and production of technical products. It is convenient to consider a holistic approach to engineering, where, in addition to the development of products and services, their complete life cycle is also taken into account. The components of holistic engineering are the models and methods used in the development process, IT tools, information models and organizational structures, united by human resources with appropriate competencies. The key competence of development engineers is creativity, because it enables successful innovations, i.e. the development of creative and market-competitive products.

The goal of the SPaSE Jean Monnet module is to enable master students of technical faculties to acquire adequate competencies in the application of methods, models and IT tools in the efficient engineering of smart products and services. Product and service development is the most important phase of engineering, and, in order for development engineers to be successful, it is necessary to use and apply new development models that guide them towards creative solutions.

In modern conditions, digitalization is becoming the basis of high technology, a key innovation with a dominant impact on all areas of the economy that enables the achievement of significant financial effects. In order to be able to successfully use this potential, industries are facing a great process of transformation or radical change, where they have to overcome many challenges.

In that sense, the application of the SPaSE module Jean Monnet will contribute to the acquisition of professional competencies and innovative readiness in the field of product development both in educational institutions and in economic entities in the region.

In short, the goals of the project are:

• Acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills by the master students of technical faculties in the field of innovation and creative techniques for the development of smart market-competitive products and services;
• Mastering the methods, models and IT tools for application in efficient engineering of the new generation of smart products and services;
• Transfer of acquired engineering competencies of smart products and services to business entities in the region;
• More efficient use of available human resources and faster integration of the region in the application of European achievements in this area.