Abstract:

Social virtual reality (SVR) has emerged as a significant development within the broader evolution of virtual reality technologies. By enabling users to interact through avatars in immersive, shared digital environments, SVR facilitates new forms of social presence, collaboration, and communication beyond the constraints of physical space. Its growing relevance spans multiple domains - including education, professional collaboration, entertainment, and community building - highlighting its potential to reshape how individuals connect and interact in increasingly digital societies.

Friendly Informal Immersive Cloud Alternative (FII;)CA) – Discover, Play, Socialize is a KA220-HED Cooperation Partnership in Higher Education project funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme (contract no. 2023-1-BE02-KA220-HED-000159576). The project is coordinated by AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts and implemented by a consortium of five European higher education institutions and two European non-profit associations active in the field of education. The main objective of the project is to increase knowledge about SVR and promote its use as a medium for communication and cooperation within and between organisations. Expected outcomes include the development of a digital ecosystem incorporating ready-to-use immersive spaces for social interaction, a virtual gallery linking to various immersive environments, and guidelines for the creation of SVR spaces. The project also supports the development of new courses that integrate SVR into innovative learning and teaching practices.

FII;)CA will conclude in September 2026, therefore, an evaluation of its implementation is required. The analysis focuses on the project’s main outputs, including the digital ecosystem developed and the virtual gallery produced. In addition, the study assesses the development of soft skills among participating students involved in the project’s activities.

This paper begins with an introduction to the project and a brief review of the state of the art on SVR, active learning, and skills development. It then presents the methodological approach adopted for the project’s development and implementation. The results section describes the main outputs achieved through the project, while the conclusion highlights key findings and outlines potential future developments building on the project’s outcomes.

Keywords:

Social Virtual Reality, Active Learning, Soft skills, Digital skills.