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METAVERSE Academy Final Conference

Addressing Future
Skills in AR. VR. and MR.
technologies

Explore how immersive technologies are shaping the future of education, skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.

The METAVERSE Academy Final Conference brings together educators, learners, companies, startups, incubators and XR professionals to discover the project’s results, exchange practical experiences and explore opportunities for developing and applying XR skills.

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ABOUT THE EVENT

ABOUT THE EVENT

Closing the XR Skills Gap

As Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) continue to transform education, training and professional environments, access to practical and inclusive XR skills development is becoming increasingly important.

The METAVERSE Academy Final Conference will showcase the main achievements of the Erasmus+ project, including its free online courses designed to make immersive technologies more accessible to learners, educators and professionals.

Participants will discover practical applications of XR through two skills-transfer case studies from South Africa: VR training using EON-XR applications with students at Vaal University of Technology, and AR visual storytelling activities supporting unemployed youth in a local community.

The conference will also present the METAVERSE Academy training programme for incubators, exploring how to support XR business ideas, identify funding opportunities and strengthen early-stage innovation ecosystems.

Bringing together perspectives from education, industry and innovation, the event will conclude with a panel discussion on bridging the XR skills gap and connecting education and training with employment and entrepreneurship.

ABOUT THE EVENT

WHO IS IT FOR?

The conference is open to people and organisations interested in learning, teaching, developing or applying immersive technologies, including:

  • Students and learners
  • Educators and trainers
  • Companies and SMEs
  • Startups and entrepreneurs
  • EU-funded projects
  • AR, VR and MR professionals
  • Incubators and innovation support organisations

AGENDA

13:30 - 14:00

Registration and Welcome Coffee
Participant registration, welcome coffee and informal networking.

14:00 - 14:15

Opening and Welcome
Introduction to the METAVERSE Academy project, its objectives, consortium and implementation journey, together with an overview of the conference programme.

Speaker:
• Michael Barngrover — XR4Europe

14:15 - 14:40

Making XR Education Accessible: The METAVERSE Academy Courses
Presentation of the METAVERSE Academy free online courses, exploring their development, the XR skills they address and how learners, educators and professionals can access and benefit from the training resources.

Speakers:
• Kursat Cagiltay — TED University
• Letizia Piras — PEDAL Consulting
• Javier Sánchez-García — Universitat Jaume I

14:40 - 15:00

Coffee Break and Networking
An opportunity for participants to connect, exchange experiences and explore potential collaborations.

15:00 - 15:30

VR and AR in Two Skills Transfer Case Studies: Empowering VUT Students and Unemployed Youth with XR Skills
Presentation of two practical case studies demonstrating the use of immersive technologies for skills development in South Africa.
The first case study explores VR-based learning using EON-XR applications with students at Vaal University of Technology.
The second focuses on AR visual storytelling as an approach to supporting skills transfer and upskilling among unemployed youth within a local South African community.

Speakers:
• Anneke De Klerk — Vaal University of Technology
• Charlene Keyser — Vaal University of Technology

15:30 - 16:00

Training for Incubators: Supporting XR Ideas, Funding and Early-Stage Innovation
Presentation of the METAVERSE Academy training programme developed for incubators, focusing on supporting XR business ideas from early concept to incubation and market-oriented development.
The session will also explore funding opportunities for startups and the importance of building strong deep-tech innovation ecosystems.

Speaker:
• Natasa Tsagkari — Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED)

16:00 - 16:40

Panel Discussion: Closing the XR Skills Gap — From Education and Training to Work and Entrepreneurship
As XR technologies are increasingly adopted across sectors, the demand for technical and non-technical XR competences continues to grow.
This panel will explore how education, vocational training and online upskilling can respond to emerging skills needs and help translate XR knowledge into employment, entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities.
The discussion will address barriers to XR skills development, the competences needed in today's market and the role of collaboration between education providers, companies, startups and innovation ecosystems.

Panellists:
• Daniel Naidoo — Center for Digital Transformation and Innovation in Africa
• Nils Anderson — EON Reality
• Kursat Cagiltay — TED University

Moderator:
• Thierry Koscielniak — Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology / XR4Europe

16:40 - 18:00

Exhibition Walk and Final Takeaways
An opportunity to explore XR-related initiatives, discover innovative applications, connect with participating organisations and reflect on the key outcomes of the conference.

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EXHIBITION & NETWORKING

Showcase Your Work and Connect with the XR Community

The Final Conference is not only a space to listen.

Projects, startups, SMEs, universities and organisations will have the opportunity to present their work during the exhibition, exchange experiences with peers and connect with an international audience.

If you are working on an XR-related project, initiative, solution or idea and would like to take part in the exhibition, indicate your interest through the registration form.

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