The University of Tokyo to Offer Engineering Courses in the Metaverse

The University of Tokyo to Offer Engineering Courses in the Metaverse

The University of Tokyo will offer a series of engineering courses using metaverse technology. The courses had been planned to start later this year. It will introduce students to the subjects of engineering and will combine the knowledge with the skills to handle metaverse-based worlds. It is hoped that the courses will manage the digital transformation that work and educational environments are undergoing.

Metaverse-Based Courses Later This Year

Educational institutions are starting to recognize the power of metaverse platforms as tools to leverage in educational and instructional endeavors. The University of Tokyo is one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in Japan and has recently announced a plan for imparting metaverse-based engineering courses.

While these courses in the metaverse won’t confer degrees, they will be managed by the engineering faculty of the university and will have two goals. The first is to introduce high school students to choose possible careers at the University of Tokyo, related to engineering and information science. The second goal is to address the shortage of personnel capable of handling digital tools and new technologies in the academic environment.

The university has not released the details of the metaverse platform to be used for the tasks. The new project will offer courses in areas of artificial intelligence, entrepreneurial education, and next-generation communication technology. Students completing the courses will receive certification from the University of Tokyo and will also have the possibility of attending face-to-face classes to complement online activities.

The university will make an effort to recruit women for the courses due to the low level of participation in such engineering courses.

Metaverse-Based Learning

With the expansion of the metaverse as a platform where many activities can happen, many companies and institutions are taking their activities to the virtual space. A survey in May by Globant, an Argentinian software company, found that 66% believe that virtual learning will be one of the metaverse apps that will change people’s lives in the next ten years. This kind of learning environment can also serve as an introduction to remote work, another trend that some companies have adopted since the COVID-19 pandemic period.

However, according to a study conducted by researchers at Coburg University, the University of Cambridge, the University of Primorska, and Microsoft Research, the current metaverse technology may not be suitable for this kind of application.