If a technology can simulate the human heart in detail, allowing doctors to test treatments before applying them in real surgeries, how transformative could it be in complex industries like semiconductors?

NTS74776.JPG

Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of NIC, delivers opening remarks at the Business Leaders Forum in Hanoi, August 20. Photo: NIC

This was one of the themes highlighted at the Business Leaders Forum on August 20, organized by the National Innovation Center (NIC) and the Ministry of Finance.

The discussion offered a new vision of how “Virtual Twin” technology is not only revolutionizing design and manufacturing but also playing a pivotal role in equipping Vietnam’s future workforce with skills and knowledge.

Opening the forum, Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of NIC, emphasized: “This is not just about technology, but also about people, talent, and the future of Vietnam’s young generation.”

In medicine, Virtual Twin technology has already been applied successfully. Scientists can simulate the human heart with full blood flow, electrical impulses, neural activity, and drug responses. Doctors can test stent placement, valve replacement, or drug effects on a “virtual heart” before treating real patients.

From the heart, the story expanded to semiconductors - where the chip is often called the “heart” of the digital economy. The chip-making process, from design to lithography, ion etching, and packaging, is one of the most complex production chains in existence.

Dassault Systèmes has developed Virtual Twin technology for this entire chain, from the micro level of devices to the macro scale of full factories. Its ModSim approach integrates modeling and simulation, once separate, into one process. Engineers can update designs with a single action, saving weeks of testing while generating rich data sets to train artificial intelligence.

As speakers stressed, “data is the new gold.” With this data, AI can predict outcomes for designs, processes, and even entire semiconductor supply chains.

The company’s 3DEXPERIENCE platform serves as the hub where these Virtual Twins are created and connected, integrating modeling, simulation, and data within one ecosystem for collaboration and innovation.

Replacing costly labs in workforce training

NTS74922.JPG
Panoramic view of the Business Leaders Forum. Photo: NIC

According to Dassault Systèmes, over 8 million students worldwide use its solutions and platforms every year. Brian Lo, Country Director of Dassault Systèmes Vietnam, remarked: “Technology only has meaning when people can master it.”

Traditional education faces challenges such as theory-heavy approaches, lack of real-world practice, and the high cost of building and updating physical laboratories. Virtual Twin and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform provide answers.

Deepak N G, Managing Director of Dassault Systèmes, explained: “It’s impossible to build physical labs equipped for daily experimentation. That’s why Virtual Twin digital labs are the solution.”

Students can use virtual labs to work on real projects, from designing electric vehicles to simulating semiconductor production, preparing them to be industry-ready engineers.

The “Three Houses” cooperation model - government, business, and schools - is seen as key to building high-quality human resources. Brian Lo noted: “If we invest in education and foster collaboration among government, enterprises, and schools, Vietnam can create a skilled workforce that builds its global reputation.”

Similar models in India, where Centers of Excellence helped prepare over 100,000 students for the workforce immediately after graduation, could be adapted for Vietnam.

AI models built on Virtual Twin data can also serve as “virtual companions” for employees, especially engineers, tailored to their real needs within organizations.

Nguyen Manh Tung, Deputy Director of Viettel IDC Digital Infrastructure Center, pointed out that data is the “new oil” of the digital economy. As data grows exponentially and is stored on larger scales, it becomes an invaluable resource for businesses. These AI models integrate corporate knowledge and experience, helping engineers self-learn, search, and solve problems faster.

To process this massive data, Vietnam will soon see hyperscale data centers launched by Viettel, CMC, and FPT, according to Tung.

Virtual Twin and 3DEXPERIENCE are not just tools for product simulation but also “virtual classrooms” bridging academia and industry. With Vietnam’s golden population advantage and advanced digital solutions, the country can build a generation of engineers and innovators ready for the digital age.

As Professor Nguyen Thanh Chuong, Chairman of the University Council at the University of Transport and Communications, shared: “Key technologies such as IoT, automation, big data, systems engineering, and AI will elevate the future workforce of Vietnam.”

3DEXPERIENCE is emerging as the critical platform to make this vision a reality. Students can experience entire industrial processes right from the classroom, reducing the time needed to adapt when entering the labor market.

This is a vital step toward creating “industry-ready professionals” - engineers prepared to join global projects immediately.

Du Lam