IET’s First International Conference on Digital Twins and Applications Concludes at Hong Kong PolyU, Highlighting the Transformative Power of Digital Twin Technology

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 28 January 2026 - The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)'s first International Conference on Digital Twins and Applications (DTA APAC 2026) was held from 10–12 January 2026 at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).

The conference was hosted by the IET, co-hosted by PolyU and Zhejiang University, and sponsored by Yinghe Technology, bringing together over 150 digital twin experts from 16 countries to share emerging research and real-world deployments of digital twins across engineering systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI), simulation-based optimisation, IoT, construction, manufacturing, logistics, and energy.

Delegates participated in over 70 technical presentations and a half-day technical visit to the Centre for Future Construction at the Hong Kong Institute of Construction's Kowloon Bay Campus. The event featured distinguished academicians, including Academician Youxian Sun, Academician Lorenz Biegler, and Academician Asoke K. Nandi, who shared their profound insights into the future of digital twin technology.

Prof. H.C. Man, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said: "It is particularly meaningful to see so many participants joining us from around the world, all converging here to explore the rapidly evolving field of digital twins and their applications. Digital twins are transforming the way we understand, design and manage complex systems, from manufacturing and smart cities to healthcare, transportation, energy and beyond. They exemplify the integration of the physical and digital worlds, and they embody the spirit of data-driven innovation that is reshaping our societies and economies."

During the DTA APAC 2026, speakers highlighted the latest advancements across policy, academia, and industry. Joseph Lo, Head of Project Strategy and Governance Office, Development Bureau, HKSAR Government, delivered a keynote speech on policies to drive an integrated digital ecosystem for construction and asset management. Academician Lorenz Biegler from Carnegie Mellon University presented academic breakthroughs in Trust Region Filter strategies with digital twins for simulation-based optimisation. Keynotes by Prof. Yan Huang, President of China Three Gorges University and PK Gupta from Dell Technologies further explored the new service for social-economic development and the evolution of digital twin.

Prof. Wenhai Wang, Conference co-chair and Qiushi Distinguished Professor at Zhejiang University, remarked: "In my group, we firmly believe that theory must serve practice. We founded UWNTEK to translate advanced research into deployable industrial solutions; We developed the multi-domain platform NGM to support modelling, simulation, control, and lifecycle management across domains; and we are committed to moving digital twins out of the lab and into factories, logistics networks, and smart infrastructures—where they deliver real value. We also launched the journal Digital Twins and Applications, which was indexed by EI Compendex within just 18 months—a strong testament to the global momentum in this field."

The DTA APAC 2026 conference serves as a premier forum, converging the latest policies, cutting-edge research, and industrial applications from government, academia, and the corporate sector.

Prof. George Q. Huang, Conference co-chair and Chair Professor of Smart Manufacturing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, expressed: "On behalf of the organising committee, I would like to thank the IET and Zhejiang University, and all the sponsors and members of the committees for all their efforts and commitment to make this conference happen."

Hashtag: #IET #Digitaltwins #HKPolyU #ZhejiangUniversity


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