The 2026 European Simulation Conference (12th Federation of European Simulation Societies Conference and 23rd International Conference on Modelling and Simulation for Multidisciplinary Applications) was successfully held in Genoa, Italy, from September 21–23, 2026.

Professor ZHANG Lin, President of the Asia Simulation Federation (ASIASIM), Professor WENG Jingnong, Secretary-General, and representatives from member institutions, including Professor LAI Liyuanjun of Beihang University and Professor ZHAO Chun of Beijing Information Science and Technology University, joined WANG Kunyu, a postdoctoral researcher at the International Innovation Institute of Beihang University in Hangzhou and a representative of ASIASIM’s young scholars, along with members of the ASIASIM Secretariat, to form a delegation that traveled to Europe to participate in the conference organization and engage in academic exchanges.

As one of the key academic platforms for international exchange in the field of simulation, the conference was organized by the Federation of European Simulation Societies (EUROSIM) and co-organized by nearly 20 simulation-related organizations, leading universities, and technology companies from around the world, including the Asia Simulation Federation (ASIASIM), the Society of Simulation and Gaming of Singapore (SSAGsg), and the Dutch Benelux Simulation Society (DBSS).

The conference featured a main forum themed “Modelling and Simulation with Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges Today and in the Future”, along with seven thematic tracks covering topics such as AI for Model-Based Systems Engineering (AI4MBSE), Simulation and Artificial Intelligence (S&AI), human behaviour simulation, and epidemic simulation. It also included multiple parallel sessions, workshops, and doctoral sessions. More than 200 participants from 16 countries and regions, including China, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, and Canada, attended the conference.

The conference accepted more than 120 papers from international research teams. The ASIASIM delegation had more than 10 papers accepted, covering areas such as AI-enabled modelling and simulation, digital twins, and model-based systems engineering. Representatives from ASIASIM member institutions and young researchers also played an active role in organizing and presenting at several thematic sessions. Through a series of bilateral meetings, ASIASIM further expanded its international network and advanced several international cooperation agreements. These efforts also marked further progress toward establishing an international scientific and technological organization in China and contributing to global science and technology governance.

ASIASIM Plays a Key Role in Conference Organization, Showcasing Asia’s Simulation Expertise

The conference opened on the morning of September 21 local time, with Professor Francesco Longo of the University of Calabria, President of the Federation of European Simulation Societies (EUROSIM), serving as the opening session chair. Professor ZHANG Lin, President of the Asia Simulation Federation (ASIASIM), along with the Co-Chairs of I3M, the I3M Program Chair, the President of the Society for Modelling and Simulation  International, and more than ten other leading experts and representatives of organizations in simulation and related fields, were invited to deliver opening remarks.

During the conference, participants and members paid tribute to the late Professor Agostino Bruzzone, Honorary President of the Federation of European Simulation Societies, commemorating his outstanding contributions to the development of simulation and international academic collaboration.

The keynote presentations focused on two timely topics: “When Artificial Intelligence Meets Simulation: Toward Complementary Intelligence” and “Modeling and Simulation in Computational Biology”. A roundtable discussion explored how the integration of modeling, simulation, and AI is transforming the design, analysis, and management of complex systems across industry, government, and research.

ASIASIM also organized the thematic session “AI4MBSE I: Languages, Frameworks and Generative Design”, chaired by Professor ZHANG Lin, President of ASIASIM. Professor ZHAO Chun, an ASIASIM member representative, chaired “AI4MBSE II: Executable Modeling and Trustworthy Digital Twins”. KIM Yunbea, an ASIASIM expert, chaired “Pandemic, SimHB: Modeling and Simulation in Healthcare and Epidemiology”. More than 10 ASIASIM members delivered oral presentations both online and in person. The delegation also promoted the Declaration on Modelling and Simulation for a Digitized World and the Top 10 Frontier Issues in Simulation Science and Technology, both released during the 2025 International Simulation Conference.

In addition, “A Trust-Aware Digital Twin Control Framework with Predictive Evaluation and Gated Parameter Evolution”. with LU Han, a postdoctoral researcher at the International Innovation Institute of Beihang University in Hangzhou and an ASIASIM young scholar, as the first author, received the Best Paper Award at this year’s conference. The award recognizes research with strong originality, high scientific quality, and significant academic impact.

Through its participation in the conference, the ASIASIM delegation showcased the latest advances, research strength, and emerging talent in modelling and simulation across Asia.

Five Multilateral and Bilateral Engagements Advance New Global Cooperation in Simulation for the AI Era

During the conference, the ASIASIM delegation attended a meeting of the EUROSIM Council, where Professor WENG Jingnong, Secretary-General of ASIASIM, introduced ASIASIM’s development, membership system, and key initiatives to the EUROSIM Council members. He also presented the Global Simulation Conference 2026 and proposed areas for future cooperation. The two sides held in-depth discussions on international conference cooperation, reciprocal membership recognition, exchanges among young researchers, joint laboratory development, international journal collaboration, and the joint publication of the Understanding Simulation in the AI Era book series. The meeting established a new, multi-level cooperation mechanism between ASIASIM and EUROSIM based on mutual recognition of member representatives. The two organizations will work together to strengthen academic exchange, with a particular focus on two-way exchanges among researchers and young scholars. They also agreed to explore concrete initiatives, including jointly publishing science communication books on simulation and developing collaborative research platforms, further strengthening long-term cooperation between Asia and Europe in the field of simulation.

In addition, members of the international working group for ISO 21175-1, Collaboration Environment Requirements of Simulation on Different Manufacturing Platforms, initiated by an ASIASIM member institution, held discussions during the conference to advance the development of international standards for simulation. Another key outcome was the signing of a Joint Simulation Laboratory Cooperation Agreement between the International Simulation Technology Innovation Center of the International Innovation Institute of Beihang University in Hangzhou and the Simulation Laboratory of the University of Genoa. The two sides plan to collaborate in areas including complex system modelling and simulation, intelligent manufacturing system simulation, industrial digital twins, logistics scheduling, and healthcare simulation. They also reached agreements on short-term exchanges for faculty and students, joint project applications, sharing of laboratory resources, and co-authoring research papers.

In addition, ASIASIM and the International Association for Modelling and Simulation (I3M) reached an agreement to jointly organize the upcoming Global Simulation Conference 2026 in Hangzhou, China, and formally signed a cooperation agreement. The two sides will work closely on conference promotion, international academic exchange, expert participation, and the presentation of research achievements, further enhancing the conference’s international reach and openness.

During the conference, the Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing and Complex Systems at Beijing Information Science and Technology University, representing an ASIASIM member institution, signed a cooperation agreement with the simulation team at the University of Genoa. The agreement lays a solid foundation for academic exchange, research collaboration, and talent development between the two institutions over the next five years.

This delegation’s participation in the conference in Europe was an important step in implementing the cooperation agreement between ASIASIM and EUROSIM. It strengthened mutual understanding and trust, expanded the network of international partners, and led to a number of new areas of cooperation, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration. The visit also marked a new starting point for ASIASIM as it evolves from an international platform for academic exchange into a broader network for international innovation and collaboration. Looking ahead, ASIASIM will continue to leverage its role as an international scientific and technological organization. In response to the growing needs of modelling and simulation in the AI era, it will strengthen international academic exchange, member services, and the development of young talent, promote greater openness and collaboration across the global simulation community, and build a closer and more connected international cooperation ecosystem.

Further Reading

The Federation of European Simulation Societies (EUROSIM) is a major international organization in the field of modelling and simulation in Europe. It brings together leading experts and research communities from across Europe and is dedicated to advancing the development and application of modelling and simulation methods and technologies. It also provides a platform for collaboration and exchange among researchers, academics, and industry professionals in Europe and around the world.

EUROSIM’s core members are national or regional modelling and simulation societies from European countries. The organization also welcomes new national simulation societies and continues to expand its network through Observer Societies and Member Societies. In addition, EUROSIM works with international societies, regional organizations, industry groups, and user organizations to further promote the development and application of modeling and simulation.

Since 1992, the EUROSIM Conference has been an important academic event for the European simulation community. It showcases the latest research in modeling and simulation while promoting interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration. The conference proceedings are typically published through international academic publishing platforms and indexed in major scholarly databases, providing broad visibility for research contributions.