The University of Tokyo, also known as Todai, has announced that it will offer a range of Metaverse courses to educate students about the Metaverse space.
The University of Tokyo, also known as Todai, has announced that it will start offering a range of courses focusing on the Metaverse this upcoming academic year. The Metaverse courses will be directed toward students and those part of the workforce who may want to educate themselves about or understand the fundamentals of the Metaverse.
According to the announcement, Japan’s institution of higher education is going this route to focus on training personnel who are specifically working on “digital transformation” and “advanced technologies.” The Metaverse courses are meant to develop the country’s digital economy skills and innovations.
A local publication, the Asahi Shimbun, reported that the Metaverse courses and study programs would not be offered as part of the regular curriculum, nor would these be degree courses. Instead, Todai’s Faculty of Engineering will oversee the courses and provide teachings in person and within the Metaverse in an online virtual reality setting.
Students who will complete the courses will receive certificates.
Purpose of the Metaverse Courses
The purpose of the Metaverse courses is to face the issue of having competent people within the Metaverse space and ensure they are up-to-date with technological advancements. And although it was not explicitly stated that NFTs and cryptocurrencies will be part of the course curriculum, it is safe to assume that blockchain technology will be part of the courses.
The courses might even include a comprehensive explanation of how blockchain technology works and how various platforms utilize it.
Eligibility for the Metaverse Courses
Those eligible for the Metaverse courses include incoming junior high school and high school students who will be taught an introductory course on the Metaverse and engineering. Such will be Todai’s attempt to help the students choose the most viable career path. It would also help the students gauge their options in engineering and the Metaverse industries.
Both students and their guardians would be allowed to participate in online and face-to-face classes to help them understand the engineering course structures. Students will also be allowed to experience hands-on learning and training from companies that partnered with Todai to conduct practical classes.
Students enrolled in other universities will be granted access to the Todai Metaverse. That way, these students could learn about the different engineering programs the University of Tokyo offers.
Todai students are not the only ones who can benefit from the Metaverse courses. Those enrolled in university and those currently employed who plan to upgrade their knowledge or re-acquaint themselves with the subject are welcome to register. They can take part in online courses that put focus on entrepreneurial education, artificial intelligence (AI), and next-generation communication technology.
The program also targets female learners, considering their lack of representation in engineering programs. The University hopes the Metaverse courses and the Metaverse, in general, would play an integral part in tackling the issue of inclusivity.
“Using the metaverse would allow for creating an educational system in which anyone, regardless of age, gender, social standing, and area of residence, can learn about engineering and information science,” said the University’s officials.
The University believes fostering digital and Metaverse concepts to Japan’s scholars will help the country stay competitive with other nations’ innovative technologies.
Perhaps in preparation for this new offering, Todai’s president, Teruo Fujii, presented the orientation and lecture for incoming students via an online Metaverse-like setting.
Japan and the Metaverse Space
Unlike other countries yet to embrace the Metaverse concept openly, Japan has shown a positive attitude towards it. In fact, in recent months, local citizens have discovered special use cases for the technology.
A recent report by Japan Today said a support group from Fukuoka known as JACFA had unveiled a virtual support space inside the SecondLife Metaverse platform. And last April, it was reported that about 3,800 students from 29 trade schools in the NSG College League in Niigata would be holding their 2022 commencement ceremonies within the Metaverse in light of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
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