Last week, on February 13, 2026, the signing ceremony for grant agreements under the Interreg Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Croatia–Serbia was held at the premises of Osijek-Baranja County. The programme aims to strengthen regional development, economic competitiveness, and quality of life through joint projects implemented by institutions from both countries. On that occasion, eight contracts with a total value of €6.9 million were awarded to project beneficiaries by Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Nataša Tramišak and the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, Nataša Mikuš Žigman.

Among the selected initiatives is the FERIT project “Boosting Research and Innovation Capacities in Cybersecurity-oriented and Functional Safety-oriented Smart Mobility – CySafe SmartMob.” The award ceremony was attended on behalf of FERIT by Vice-Dean for Science and Postgraduate Studies, Full Professor Danijel Topić, PhD.

The rapid development of software-defined vehicles and smart mobility systems brings new safety and security challenges while simultaneously widening the gap between industry needs and the availability of qualified experts, particularly in the fields of cybersecurity and functional safety of AI-based systems. Recognising these challenges, FERIT and the Faculty of Technical Sciences Novi Sad launched the CySafe SmartMob project to strengthen research, innovation, and educational capacities in this area.

The project will establish joint laboratories and a cross-border research network, enable knowledge exchange, and enhance study programmes and other educational activities. This will allow students, researchers, and industry partners to acquire advanced expertise necessary for developing safe and reliable smart mobility solutions, while fostering stronger collaboration between academia and industry. The ultimate goal is to support the transformation of the cross-border region into a recognised centre of excellence in cybersecurity and functional safety within AI-driven smart mobility.

FERIT is the project coordinator, with the Faculty of Technical Sciences Novi Sad as the partner institution. The project duration is from February 1, 2026, to January 31, 2028. The total project value amounts to €822,934.06, of which €699,493.95 is co-financed by the European Union.