TU Dublin selected to deliver training in VR through Bodyswaps and Meta Immersive Learning grant
Bodyswaps, together with Meta Immersive Learning, has announced the final list of higher and further education institutions in Ireland to participate in their Immersive Learning Pilot Programme, and TU Dublin is one of eight Irish HEIs successful in their applications to be part of the programme.
The TU Dublin application is a partnership between the School of Marketing and Entrepreneurship and GROWTHhub, TU Dublin's student entrepreneurship education initiative funded by the Higher Education Authority Human Capital Initiative.
Over 100 HEIs across the globe will receive access to virtual reality hardware and software with access to the full Bodyswaps soft skills learning library. The programme aims to allow wider access to immersive learning technologies in education and supports students in gaining the necessary soft skills needed to compete and stand out in a global job market.
Various courses will be available to the grantees, including modules on diversity and inclusion, public speaking and employability training, to empower their students with soft skill development that might have been hindered due to the pandemic. As part of the programme.
Regarding the programme's impact, Alex Gibson, Head of Digital Marketing, School of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Technological University Dublin, said
We're delighted to be among the first set of universities globally to receive the Bodyswaps and Meta Immersive Learning grant. Immersive technology will feature strongly in tertiary education over the next decade, bringing an exciting dimension to how students learn. Working with TU Dublin's GROWTHhub team, we will focus on how virtual reality can assist students in their entrepreneurial journey by enhancing their pitching capability
Highlighting the potential of this initiative, TU Dublin GROWTHhub Lead Paul O'Reilly explains:
Entrepreneurship is all about soft skills, but student capacity to communicate their ideas persuasively is a competence that extends well beyond traditional entrepreneurshipDuring this pilot, the Bodyswaps VR simulation will be available to TU Dublin students engaged in various GROWTHhub initiatives, including our accelerator programmes. We are very excited by the potential of the Bodyswaps and Meta Immersive Learning package to help us deliver a safe space for students and enterprise-based learners to practice pitching and communicating ideas.
CEO and Co-founder of Bodyswaps, Christophe Mallet, added:
Immersive technologies represent an immense opportunity to improve education for traditionally underserved populations. This grant, the largest of its kind ever, will demonstrate the impact VR learning can have at scale and show the way for a more human-centric and equalitarian future for education.
Meta's Immersive Learning Initiative
Through Meta Immersive Learning, Meta is investing $150M to help develop the next generation of metaverse creators, fund high-quality immersive experiences that can transform the way we learn, and increase access to learning through technology.
We are excited to see more education institutions embrace the potential of immersive technologies. Bodyswaps are providing transformative opportunities for educators and learners alike, and we're thrilled to continue supporting them
said Leticia Jauregui, Global Head of Meta Immersive Learning.
Meta is proud to work with global partners to increase access to learning in immersive technologies.
Making VR Learning Experiences more accessible.
Together Bodyswaps and Meta Immersive Learning are demonstrating the possibilities for learning in the metaverse to institutions that may not have had access without the grant.
Bodyswaps is an award-winning VR learning platform that brings realistic simulations and AI-enabled feedback to soft skills training. As a result, users can practice their soft skills without real-world self-consciousness while building the communication, teamwork and leadership skills needed to succeed in a global job market.