The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has announced the launch party for a virtual reality classroom in the Metaverse on September 1. The launch marks the start of HKUST’s plan to promote immersive learning by building a virtual campus in the Metaverse, to be called MetaHKUST.
An academic from the HKUST institution told the South China Morning Post that the launch of the mixed reality classroom represents the opening of a new campus in the city of Guangzhou, Hong Kong. Pan Hui, professor at the chair of media and computer arts at the Guangzhou campus, added that:
“Many guests may be abroad and unable to attend [a la inauguración]so we’ll welcome her into the metaverse.”
With the construction of MetaHKUST, the institution aims to create a learning environment that virtually connects the two campuses, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. By virtually connecting campuses, HKUST hopes to help students overcome geographic limitations in attending classes.
While universities around the world have turned to services like Zoom to deliver classes online during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hui believes that learning in the metaverse is a better option for students as it promotes a higher level of interaction. , and adds:
“Through virtual reality, you can feel as if you are there. The way you interact with the students around you will increase the learning outcome.”
Despite the nascent technology, Wang Yang, vice president of institutional promotion at HKUST, said the metaverse was “here to stay.”
Adding to the long list of use cases offered by the metaverse, Singapore’s Second Justice Minister Edwin Tong weighed in on the use of the emerging technology in legal marriage proceedings, court litigation and government services.
Tong supported his claim by highlighting instances where intimate events, such as the solemnization of marriages, are celebrated in the Metaverse, adding:
“It would not be unthinkable that, in addition to marriage registration, other government services could soon be accessible online through the Metaverse.”
Tong said that the addition of this technology would not prevent traditional offline hearings from taking place, but suggested an “integrated platform” that could streamline the dispute resolution process. He noted that “there can always be a hybrid element.”
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