Digital Twin Integration in Engineering Pedagogy: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities of Education 4.0 through Process Simulate

Alina Bianca Pop (), Maria Nicoleta Roman Pintican (), Aurel Mihail Țîțu () and Marius Șerban Fetea ()
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Alina Bianca Pop: Department of Engineering and Technology Management, Faculty of Engineering, Northern University Centre of Baia Mare, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 62A Victor Babes Street, 430083 Baia Mare, Romania
Maria Nicoleta Roman Pintican: Department of Civil Engineering and Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 28 Memorandumului Street, 400114, Romania
Aurel Mihail Țîțu: Industrial Engineering and Management Department, Faculty of Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 10 Victoriei Street, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
Marius Șerban Fetea: Building Services Department, Building Services Faculty, Technical University of ClujNapoca, B-dul 21 Decembrie 1989, No. 128-130, Cluj Napoca, România

Enformation Conference Proceedings Series, 2026, vol. 17, 5-17

Abstract: The rapid evolution towards Industry 4.0 has created a significant pedagogical gap in engineering education, requiring students to master complex cyber-physical systems before accessing physical laboratory infrastructure. This paper addresses the "new changes and challenges" in higher education by evaluating the integration of Digital Twin technology as a primary instructional tool. Using a Project-Based Learning (PBL) framework, this study analyzes the implementation of Siemens Process Simulate within a Digital Manufacturing curriculum. The research monitors a cohort of engineering students as they transition from theoretical layouts to high-fidelity virtual commissioning. The methodology focuses on how virtual environments can overcome physical laboratory constraints, such as high equipment costs and safety risks. Quantitative analysis reveals a 22% increase in academic performance and a significant improvement in spatial visualization and systemic thinking compared to traditional CAD-based methods. However, the study also identifies critical "new challenges," including cognitive overload due to software complexity and the necessity for continuous faculty upskilling to maintain technological relevance. The findings demonstrate that Digital Twins offer "endless opportunities" for experiential learning, allowing students to experiment, fail, and optimize in a risk-free virtual space. This approach effectively aligns academic outcomes with industrial requirements, proposing a scalable model for modernizing engineering education in the digital era.

Keywords: Education 4.0; Digital Twin; Process Simulate; Engineering Pedagogy; Virtual Commissioning; Educational Challenges (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:enf:proc26:art1:v:17

DOI: 10.63467/alls17.art1

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