This $120,589 National Science Foundation Office of International Science and Engineering Project Grant will support the Advanced Studies Institute (ASI) to train U.S. manufacturing engineering students and foster innovative research ideas through short courses leveraging unique facilities in Italy. Over two years, the ASI will host 15 U.S. graduate students annually in Italy for 15 days each to participate in eight short courses covering emerging Industry 4.0 technologies being adopted in Italy's strong manufacturing sector. Course topics include advanced processes and robotics, Internet of Things, additive manufacturing, and big data/cloud computing. Students will complement coursework with factory tours, research discussions, and short-term projects. Key Italian partners from eight universities will teach courses, recruit Italian students, and mentor participants. Three Italian research labs and ten companies will also support student visits. The overall program aims to strengthen international partnerships and U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing through exposing students to research and applications bridging academia and industry in Italy. The July 1, 2023 award to the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station will support delivery of the ASI through June 30, 2027.