Unified Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Education
Educators can help students stay ahead in a multidisciplinary world by bringing design and simulation together within a unified environment.
Are Your Students Ready for a More Complex World?
Industries are becoming more complex, unpredictable, and multifaceted. Engineering fields are evolving rapidly, with new trends like AI-powered simulations, virtual twins, generative design, and sustainability. These new fields of knowledge demand skillsets that go far beyond what’s currently in engineering textbooks. Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between what students learn in the classroom and what employers actually require. If left unchecked, this skills gap will quickly grow to become a crisis that threatens the longterm viability of the world we live in.
1 million
engineers will be needed in the UK by 20301
Nearly 1 in 3
engineering roles in the United States will not be filled2
Only 1,500
engineering graduates enter the Belgian workforce every year, creating an annual deficit of 500 engineers3
22,300
engineers will be needed in Ireland over the next decade4
As industries shift from disconnected workflows and disciplines to embrace sustainable innovation and multidisciplinary product development, today’s engineers must harness the power of the virtual twin to tackle real-world challenges. This is where unified modeling and simulation (MODSIM) can make a difference.
MODSIM connects modeling and simulation in one environment, allowing engineers to design, validate and optimize products more efficiently. Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) can now happen within a single, unified workflow. Collaboration can happen in real time across multiple engineering disciplines.
This approach breaks down disciplinary silos and fosters seamless collaboration among all stakeholders throughout the design process. The MODSIM approach embeds verification and validation early in the design phase, minimizing late-stage failures and costly rework. Companies are rapidly embracing this approach to drive innovation, accelerate product development and reduce costs.
In this context, educators have an opportunity to bridge the skills gap by integrating MODSIM competencies into engineering curricula. Let’s examine what the MODSIM approach can bring to the engineering classroom.
How MODSIM Helps Develop the Workforce of the Future
Innovation is at the heart of engineering. It drives progress, efficiency and competitiveness. It enables engineers to develop smarter, more efficient and more sustainable solutions that push boundaries and meet the needs of modern society. The ability to innovate is a necessity for long-term success and industry leadership.
MODSIM is a key part of engineering innovation, bringing design and simulation together within a unified environment. Designers can now run simulations early in the process, and analysts can modify designs directly within the same platform. There's no longer a need for multiple disconnected tools. This level of integration speeds up workflows, enhances collaboration and ensures consistency between design and validation. Any changes to the initial design automatically update the simulations. Since all design decisions occur on the same data model, there's no need for multiple versions or starting over.
What are Dassault Systèmes’ Education Experiences?
Comprised of cutting-edge software, customized learning paths, certifications and an active online community, our Education Experiences can help educators provide their students with the skills needed to make them future-ready and boost their employability.
As industries rapidly embrace MODSIM to drive the design and development of new products, educators have a crucial role in preparing engineering students for this industry transformation as early and as seamlessly as possible. With our Education Experience, Teaching Modeling and Simulation with SIMULIA, educators can address the skills gap in simulation, data analytics and systems integration by bringing industry best practices into the classroom. They can enhance the teaching experience through hands-on projects and case studies that simulate real-world engineering challenges, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios.
What Unified Modeling and Simulation (MODSIM) Brings to the Classroom
With the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform and our new Education Experience, delivering a new standard of engineering education is easier than it seems.
Educator Spotlight: Ireneo Torca, Mondragon University
For Ireneo Torca, MODSIM on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform makes the teaching experience more valuable because it gives back something educators always run out of — time. In this exclusive audio clip, Torca explains how the MODSIM approach, which emphasizes project-based learning, enables him to cover additional topics and go deeper into specific areas.
Our white paper features an in-depth discussion with Ireneo Torca from Mondragon University. He talks about how MODSIM on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform empowers him to create new and innovative engineering projects for his students. Click here to get the whole story.
What MODSIM on the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform Brings To Engineering Education
Teaching Modeling and Simulation with SIMULIA is built from the ground up to ensure a seamless teaching experience for educators across four key elements:
- Industry-leading simulation software used by professionals around the world, with over 30 industry-relevant tools instantly available on the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform
- Classroom-ready resources comprised of ready-to-use, end-to-end learning modules that are industry-relevant.
This content can be used by teachers as-is or modified as required - Certification pathways that can help students build credible, job-ready skills and be recognized in the job market
- Active online communities where educators can share knowledge, ask questions and collaborate with peers and experts
How does that translate into real-world teaching? Let’s take a look at some of the engineering disciplines covered by our Education Experience that can be fully explored within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
MODSIM on the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform: Frequently Asked Questions
References:
[1] "Engineering Skills Gap: Evolving the industry to inspire the new modern workforce" by Stonehaven Global (August 2023)
[2] "Where is all the Engineering talent? Skills gaps and the significant lack of Engineers" by Adam Raybould (August 2024)
[3] "Belgian industry faces critical shortage of engineers" by Nick Amies (March 2024)
[4] "Failure to address shortage of engineers threatens future prosperity, warns Engineers Ireland" by Engineers Ireland (April 2025)
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Teaching Modeling and Simulation with SIMULIA
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