Today, as part of our ongoing efforts to develop new educational offerings for Meta Quest headsets, we’ve launched the Meta for Education beta program – partnering with universities in the US and UK to test our new education applications for Quest devices and provide feedback as we work to transform the way we learn through metaverse technologies. Over a dozen Universities – including Imperial College London; the University of Glasgow and the University of Leeds – will ensure regular touchpoints with educators who are trialing VR and XR prototypes and programs in their own classrooms, and enable us to improve our products ahead of an official launch. The beta test will give university partners early access to a range of apps and features that bring students closer to otherwise expensive or out of reach educational experiences. “This moment is greater than any one institution or one company. We need to come together in collaboration across the creators, the developers, educational institutions, research organizations, and tech companies to build this new learning ecosystem because it’s going to benefit every individual and industry,” says Monica Arés, Executive Director of Imperial IDEA Lab, Imperial College London. “We’re finally at a place where we have a way to combine the digital and physical worlds, and it’s unlocking this entirely new set of tools, which is what makes all of this so exciting.” Introducing Digital Twin Metaversities In addition to the Meta for Education beta program, we’ve also been working with VictoryXR to develop some of the first digital twin “metaversities” in Europe. Through these metaversities, educators and students at the University of Leeds in the UK, University of the Basque Country in Spain, and University of Hannover in Germany will be able to explore, socialize, and participate in live classes remotely—all within an immersive environment that mirrors their physical campuses. These digital twins represent a significant leap forward in educational technology, offering new, immersive ways for educators and students to engage and interact. At the University of Leeds, immersive classes began in September, and will focus on Performance and Theater. Starting in February 2025, University of the Basque Country will utilise immersive technologies to host classes in Physiotherapy and Anatomy. And in Hannover, Clausthal University of Technology, Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, and the University of Göttingen will also begin offering immersive courses in the next academic semester. Together with European partners, we’re also empowering educators with new resources and training that can help them enhance learning experiences. With Meta’s support, France Immersive Learning released an English language guidebook for educators offering analysis of technologies available in this space and practical guides for how to deploy them in education settings. And in the Netherlands, we’re supporting the Immersive Learning Academy focused on developing high-quality educational content, integrating immersive technology into lifelong learning curricula and educators’ training. Academic studies have found that VR can positively improve a variety of learning outcomes — such as comprehension, knowledge retention, student engagement, attention span and motivation. According to a 2021 study by PwC, 40% of VR learners are more confident in applying what they’ve been taught and 150% more engaged during classes. Similarly, a recent survey by XR Association (XRA) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) found 77% of educators believe these technologies ignite curiosity and improve engagement in class. We look forward to seeing how these initiatives and resources will inspire new forms of learning and collaboration in Europe.
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