Industry 4.0‐Driven STEM‐Lab Modernization: Balancing Flexibility and Sustainability

The rapid technological advances of Industry 4.0 require Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education to adapt and meet the needs of an increasingly digital workforce. However, institutions face significant obstacles in updating their lab spaces due to the significant investment of time and resources required. This article presents innovative approaches that aim to reconcile these conflicting goals. Flexible laboratory configuration approaches are described that can be implemented in diverse learning scenarios to optimize the sustainable use of resources in an educational context. The results suggest that, with strategic planning, adaptable STEM laboratory configurations are beneficial for education in the context of Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 poses new challenges for universities and their STEM programs. In addition, a more sustainable use of laboratory equipment is desirable. Here, a flexible approach to STEM lab design is presented that allows labs to be implemented in highly diverse learning scenarios, from in‐house labs to remote labs even to interdisciplinary projects.