Digital Twin Academy

Considered one of the key technologies of Industry 4.0, digital twins are the ultimate step in digitization, creating a virtual representation of a real entity and organizing an exchange iterative loop between digital and real world.  There is, however, a knowledge gap in terms of teaching and learning, research and development, integration and consultancy. The Digital Twin Academy aims to fill this gap by building a network between the stakeholders, to raise the general level of knowledge through targeted training and webinars on the one hand, and to test digital twins in a real business environment on the other.

Context

Digital twins integrate the whole life cycle of products, machines, production lines or even entire companies and this technology focus on different aspects such as the conception, production,  customer service, logistics, maintenance, ... Within the next few years, the use of digital twin technologies will rocket and truly change the way we conduct innovation, research and development, conception, prototyping, production, integration, maintenance, IOT and data management, customer services, logistics, etc. Therefore it affects all companies, regardless of their size or sector of activities.
This observation led universities, higher education institutions, research centres, and innovative companies to come together and design the "Digital Twin Academy" project.
With the Digital Twin Academy concept, we build an ecosystem that breaks down the barriers between seminars/colloquiums, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, lifelong learning courses, fundamental research and applied research concerning digital twins. 

The success of this project will come from two key factors: on the one hand, to test digital twin in a real business environment and learn from this, and on the other hand, to lift the general level of knowledge and expertise regarding digital twins in the Meuse-Rhine Euregio. 

Objectives

The Digital Twin Academy EMR brings added value that complements and goes beyond the academic state of the art on digital twins. It connects the academic partners (the education system) with society as a whole (the industrial and societal players) by responding to the concrete expectations of today's and tomorrow's labour markets. 
The results of the Digital Twin Academy project will thus be able to respond to the lack of digital twin skills among the citizens of the Meuse-Rhine Euregio thanks to innovative training programmes based on new forms of learning (Mooc, Spoc, webinars, videoconferences, virtual classes...). The expected results will create an adaptive learning environment by providing regular feedback on progress. For the other profiles trained, the aim will be to reinforce these skills through advanced e-learning modules focused on use cases. 
Thus, this project will contribute to increase the employability and/or sustainability of these people in their professional environment by enabling them to meet the expectations of the companies in the territory and, by relationship, to be able to maintain the competitiveness of the Euregio with respect to other regions.

Target groups

The "Digital Twin Academy" project is aimed at :

• Teachers and students in higher education and secondary education
• Industrials (blue/white collar workers)
• Unemployed people
• CEOs & executives

The results of the project will be disseminated throughout the Meuse-Rhine Euregio, so that everyone can benefit from the tools and materials developed.

Projectpartners

The "Digital Twin Academy" project is a project conceived by and for the Meuse-Rhine Euregio. The partners involved in this project are:
 

• JOBS@SKILLS (lead partner)
  • Sirris (project partner)
• Flanders Make (project partner)
• Fachhochschule Aachen (project partner)
• Université de Liège (project partner)
• CRIG/Centre de recherche adossé à la Haute Ecole HELMo (project partner)
• CECOTEPE/Centre de cooperation technique et pédagogique, centre de recherche associé à la Haute Ecole de
• La Province de Liège (project partner)
• UC Limburg vzw (project partner)
• Stichting Fontys (project partner)
• Stichting STODT Praktijcentrum voor geavanceerde Technologie (project partner)
• NMWP Management GmbH (project partner)

Associated partners

"Digital Twin Academy" is also supported by:

• Agoria
• Essenscia
• Siemens
• Pôle Mecatech
• Engie
• La Compagnie Intercommunale Liégeoise des Eaux (Cile)
• Lucas Nülle
• La Maison Liègeoise

Project funding

The "Digital Twin Academy" project is a project funded by CALL6 of the Interreg V-a programme of the Meuse-Rhine Euregio. This programme is financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
This project also receives financial support from the regional authorities:

• La Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles ;
• Province of Limburg;
• NRW- MWIDE
• Province of Noord-Brabant
• Wallonie