Qatar University wins first place in 2026 Digital Twin Contest in Italy
Qatar University has secured first place in the 2026 Digital Twin Contest, marking an international research achievement in the fields of artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
The competition was organised by Working Group 5.1 of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) in Lecce, Italy.
Qatar University won with a research project titled “Event-Based Production Rescheduling Driven by Digital Twins Using Deep Reinforcement Learning.”
AI and digital twins combined for smarter production
The project presents a manufacturing solution that combines digital twin technology with deep reinforcement learning.
A digital twin creates a virtual representation of a real production environment, allowing researchers and systems to monitor operations and respond to changing conditions.
The system developed by the Qatar University team is designed to react when production disruptions occur and reschedule manufacturing processes dynamically and in real time.
Deep reinforcement learning is then used to support operational decision-making and identify effective responses to changing production conditions.
Focus on more adaptable manufacturing systems
The research aims to make manufacturing systems more efficient, responsive and adaptable, particularly when unexpected events interrupt normal production.
By combining real-time virtual models with artificial intelligence, the project demonstrates how manufacturers could reduce disruption and make faster operational decisions.
International research collaboration
The winning team was supervised by Abdulaziz Bouras and included researchers and students, alongside local and international collaborators.
The achievement reflects Qatar University’s continued focus on applied research in emerging technologies and gives its researchers and students further international exposure in fields including AI, digital twins and intelligent manufacturing.
The first-place result also strengthens Qatar University’s presence in international research competitions and highlights the role of advanced technology research in supporting future industrial development.
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