Digital Twins for Digital Societies

This newly developed 8-week hybrid course blends online learning with hands-on prototyping to explore the societal impact of Digital Twins (DTs).

MEET YOUR LECTURERS: https://youtu.be/5mL3R8jI2-I?si=TQ2A4iiZUdUI25rH

Aimed at interdisciplinary learners, it combines theory, technology, and ethics through a structured weekly progression.

Students begin by examining the concept of a digital society and the role of DTs in public infrastructure and governance. They then study DT architecture, including system lifecycles, physical-virtual integration, and systems thinking.

The course covers core DT technologies, sensors, IoT, data synchronization, and feedback loops, followed by simulation and optimization methods for complex systems like transport, energy, and climate.

Midway, students shift to challenge-based learning: identifying real-world issues, mapping stakeholders, and forming teams to develop ethically grounded, human-centered use cases. They refine their concepts, build system architecture, and prototype solutions.

The program culminates in a Capstone Week at the Eindhoven Digital Twin Lab from 13-17 April 2026, in this immersive event, students construct, evaluate, and showcase a practical prototype of a Digital Twin system that tackles a genuine societal issue.

Students emerge equipped to design and implement impactful Digital Twin solutions with technical rigor and ethical awareness.

FOR STUDENTS TRAVELING TO EINDHOVEN: Selection & Funding
• Selection is based on motivation letters and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Capstone Week in Eindhoven is a mandatory in-person component during the final week of the course.

Upon completion of the course Digital Twins in Digital Society, students will exhibit both theoretical comprehension and practical proficiency across the entirety of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
They will:

• Explain the role of Digital Twins in shaping digital societies and describe their key components, structures, and lifecycles.
• Apply sensor and IoT technologies for data collection, processing, and visualization, and use simulation and optimization tools for real-time decision-making.
• Evaluate societal challenges and assess the ethical, environmental, and stakeholder implications of DT applications in areas like urban planning, energy, and healthcare.
• Critique design approaches and system architectures for effectiveness and impact, while reflecting on team collaboration and peer input.
• Design, build, and present a fully documented Digital Twin prototype that addresses a real societal issue, integrating technical, ethical, and social dimensions.

• A mix of textbooks, case studies, and practical resources will be available to students. Topics covered in each week's contents include ethics, data integration, system design, and the digital society. Software for simulation and visualisation, platforms for collaboration, and open datasets are all examples of technical resources. We will supply you with templates for developing use cases, identifying stakeholders, and documenting your project. Students will have the opportunity to utilise the Eindhoven Digital Twin Lab's prototyping kits and other lab equipment to create and showcase their final projects during Capstone Week.