Adaptation and effects of social-VR as a tool for overcoming social distance in higher education

Social distancing measures increased loneliness among people. They also affect university life. One vulnerable group are first-year (international) students that now lack the means to form a community “in campus”. Funded by a ZonMW grant, together with SURF and The Virtual Dutch Men, we equip a larger group of first-year students in our curriculum with Oculus Quests VR headsets at home, and explore (adapting and testing) the effects of students being able to meet, chat, play, and work on a virtual campus.

Funding source:

Team:
Miguel Barreda, Tilo Hartmann
SURFsara, the Virtual Dutch Men