CEU creates a ‘think tank’ about the metaverse

CEU that has initiated a University metaverse was the first in Spain to virtually replicate its campus as well as the urban environment of its three universities: San Pablo (Madrid), Abat Oliba (Barcelona) and Cardenal Herrera (Valencia).

The think tank that will count with the participation of teachers from all faculties, experts in different areas (legal, economic, anthropologic, education, health, communication, etc.) will organize periodical meetings to discuss new trends, updates and ideas about this reality.

Incorporating the metaverse to teaching is also the purpose of this forum which estimates that in a few years it will become a tangible reality for which we should prepare and take measures to anticipate. To study, analyse, unravel and integrate the metaverse into the teaching activity to show it to students will be necessary in a world where many of these students will carry out their professional activities.

Moreover the metaverse and all technology being developed around it may turn into a business opportunity for those corporations forming part of it, taking the lead and knowing to adapt.

CEU Metaverse

The virtual world of CEU Metaverse embeds the campus of the three CEU universities where students may interact, knowing in detail the premises, carrying out different learning activities to consolidate the knowledge acquired in class and making different administrative formalities such as accessing to courses or finding a job. Also we seek to integrate CEU Universities with the cities and towns where they are physically located to boost interaction between neighbours and students. To achieve this, as the metaverse grows, they will incorporate local businesses that will service university students

Integration of a layer of 360º real images and videos complements user experience. It has also carried out the incorporation of several University services through non-player characters (NPCs) which offer students access to their virtual desks. Pilot experience of this project has been developed and tested successfully with the educational version of Minecraft (Minecraft Education Edition) and at present its migration to the Java commercial version is being studied as well as to other platforms to be able to increase the number of actual users in one same world.

The University also continues progressing in the development and investigation of new ideas around the metaverse. At present it is working on the incorporation of an economic system regulated by blockchain. Students will obtain tokens depending on the academic results achieved within the metaverse. This way, students may exchange these tokens to develop activities within the University or even products in the real world. It would be therefore a new reward system based on academic excellence whereby students will achieve benefits thanks to their efforts. In other words it would be a new scholarship format but adapted to the metaverse.