CyberTwinNet - Colombia: A collaborative network of Remote and Online Labs for Industry 4.0 Education for Latin America

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has driven digitization and automation in engineering education, highlighting the need to update training programs to prepare students for modern industrial environments. However, the implementation of remote and online laboratories remains limited in Latin America due to barriers such as poor technological infrastructure and lack of standardized methodologies. CyberTwinNet-Colombia emerges as a solution to this problem, establishing a collaborative network of laboratories in three Colombian universities to improve teaching in Industry 4.0 by integrating specialized hardware and software. The platform allows remote interaction with industrial equipment and experimentation in real and simulated environments. Through a pilot with students from Colombia and Mexico, the positive impact on learning competencies in CPPS and DTs was evidenced. However, there are still technical and pedagogical challenges, such as connectivity and adapting teachers and students to these technologies. This study highlights the importance of strengthening inter-university collaboration and developing innovative methodologies to ensure the success of similar initiatives in the region.