Virtual Innovation Consortium
Bridging Europe’s Digital Skills Gap Through XR Education
Virtual Innovation Consortium (VIC) – Academic Programmes
The Virtual Innovation Consortium (VIC) academic programmes has been designed to address the critical shortage of advanced digital skills in Europe, with a strategic focus on Immersive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence. VIC stands among the select projects chosen under the highly competitive Digital Europe Programme, having being awarded the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Seal, which underscores its strategic importance for Europe. This initiative unites an international partnership of eleven universities, research centres, and industry leaders to develop a comprehensive and integrated educational ecosystem for immersive technologies.
The project delivers three academic programmes:
- an international two-year Master’s Degree Programme (120 ECTS), jointly designed by the project consortium and simultaneously delivered on campus by three different universities: ISTEC (Portugal), EUNEIZ (Spain), and UNINT (Italy);
- a one-year Advanced Training Programme (60 ECTS) consisting of self-contained modules, delivered entirely online in English;
- an international Summer School, lasting one week and hosted in rotation by partner institutions in Lisbon, Milan, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Rome.
Educational Focus and Aims
The educational offerings are carefully designed to balance foundational knowledge, advanced technical skills, applied practice, and ethical reflection. The training methodology is based in project-based learning, active methodologies and learning by doing.
Students will progress through a wide variety of courses, including introductory modules (Foundations and Applications of Virtual and Augmented Reality,) advanced subjects (Immersive Simulation and Physics Engines), and cross-disciplinary areas (Innovation, Ethics and Regulation in Immersive Technologies). Programmes also emphasizes practice through Virtual Reality Hardware and Systems, playful, collaborative and social environments, and a final Project.
The principal objective is to prepare professionals capable of designing and managing virtual environments, including secure and intelligent XR ecosystems, equipping them to operate effectively within technologically advanced international contexts. Students may work in research, development, advanced design, and IT system management. They may be freelancers, employed in manufacturing or service companies, or hold roles in public administration. Main sectors include hardware/software, automation, robotics, consulting, and IT services.
Programme are intended to be accessible to a wide range of prospective students. They do not require a computer science background or advanced technical knowledge as a prerequisite. The input profile is deliberately broad, welcoming candidates from diverse backgrounds such as technology, the arts, design, consulting, business, education, and related fields.
Expected Impact
The project is anticipated to deliver substantial benefits at the European level by combining technological innovation, international collaboration, inclusivity, and robust industry integration. Expected outcomes include: the development of highly specialised professional skills, with a particular emphasis on reskilling non-ICT graduates and promoting gender-balanced participation; strengthened university-industry partnerships that foster youth employment, especially among women; enhanced competitiveness of regional enterprises; internationalisation of educational offerings through qualifications recognised across eight European countries and structured opportunities for academic and professional mobility; attraction of talented students via merit-based scholarships; and the engagement of academic and professional excellence in Immersive Technologies and AI.
