On August 31, 2026, the prestigious international publisher Routledge released the academic monograph Sustainable Development and Industry 4.0 in EuropE, authored by Associate Professor Erika Džajić Uršič, Ph.D., Associate Professor Dr. Tamara Besednjak Valič, Associate Professor Dr. Alenka Pandiloska Jurak, and Associate Professor Dr. Urška Fric. The monograph was published in the “Regions and Cities” series and comprises 110 pages.
The book addresses one of the central issues of contemporary European development—how to align the accelerated digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies with sustainable development goals. The authors analyse the role of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, advanced data systems, and smart manufacturing in achieving the European Union’s sustainable development goals. They pay particular attention to the European Green Deal, climate neutrality, the circular economy, the socioeconomic consequences of the green transition, and the potential of the cultural and creative industries.
Approaches to the circular economy and examples of best practices from Slovenia also constitute an important part of the monograph. The authors emphasise that technological innovations alone are not sufficient for a successful green and digital transition. A sustainable Industry 4.0 requires coordinated management, appropriate mechanisms for social investment, and solutions tailored to the characteristics of individual regions.
The authors of the monograph are affiliated with UNM FIŠ in various areas of scientific research and academic work. Erika Džajić Uršič heads the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence “Innovation and Technology in Regional Development,” Tamara Besednjak Valič is a member of the center, Alenka Pandiloska Jurak serves as a research associate at UNM FIŠ, and Urška Fric is an associate professor, associate dean for education, and head of the FIŠ Office for Knowledge and Technology Transfer.
The publication of this monograph represents a significant contribution by FIS researchers to the international scientific discourse on the future of European development and, at the same time, reflects the faculty’s focus on creating interdisciplinary knowledge for the responsible use of technologies and socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable development.
We congratulate the authors on this significant scientific achievement!
More about the book: 📘 Sustainable Development and Industry 4.0 in Europe
Erika Džajić Uršič, Tamara Besednjak Valič, Alenka Pandiloska Jurak, Urška Fric
Routledge, 2026