Automotive industry became the most important economic engine of many Danube Region (DR) countries, whose problem is that however they are a manufacturing power, they experience hardship to move towards R&D; and environmentally responsible industry. The aim of the main project is to close the knowledge gap, caused by shortage of highly skilled and competent professionals in new materials R&D; and reuse of hardly recyclable material, within the automotive industry by implement elements of dual education and joint research centers. The result of the project will be improved education curricula and research policies particularly focused on implementation of dual education, and increased competences in research management and cooperation of companies, academia, policy makers in automotive industry and beyond. The project aims to support the PA7 of EUSDR, and targets the topic for SMF: “Higher education institutions (HEIs), industry and government (public) institutions stimulating the automotive industry in the Danube region in order to meeting the industry’s requirement of skilled manpower - running employability - skill enhancement programs and to set - up training centers/labs - improving the competitiveness of industry - increasing the relevance and innovativeness of research in HEIs - knowledge transfer” The main project will contribute and find synergies with other projects or initiatives supporting in PA7, PA8, PA9 aiming to close the knowledge gap. Project partially contributes to PA2 target to better interconnect regions by joint activities by focusing on research of material technologies to make the vehicles less energy demanding. The project will capitalize the findings of studies developed by PACs and DTP projects.