Successfully Finished Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP) – MediaXperience Autumn School: Beyond Realities of VR, AR, and MR

In early October 2024, VSŠ Academia, in collaboration with CORe d.o.o. and Društvo Hiša!, organized a 5-day international blended intensive program (BIP) called MediaXperience Autumn School. The program focused on exploring and applying technologies related to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).

The event brought together students and lecturers from El Salvador, Jordan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Spain, Lithuania, and Slovenia. More than 40 international and Slovenian participants engaged in group work and expert-led lectures, gaining valuable experience in innovative technologies.

Interdisciplinary Challenge: Transforming a Tourist Experience 

The MediaXperience Autumn School program was based on close collaboration between students, mentors, and industry partners – CORe d.o.o. and Društvo Hiša!. The main challenge of the program was to transform a traditional physical treasure hunt, already offered to tourists by Društvo Hiša! in Maribor, into a modern digital experience incorporating VR/AR technologies. The aim was for the students to work in teams on the company’s challenge, creating an interactive app that would attract a younger audience and encourage them to explore the city’s cultural heritage.

Participants were divided into groups where they used tools such as Blender, Unity3D, WebXR, and GPT API to develop innovative solutions. With the help of mentors and industry experts, they created digital solutions that would provide young people with a more personal and immersive experience of Maribor. Lina Petrović from House! Society highlighted: “Collaborating with students and exchanging ideas brought many fresh approaches to promoting cultural tourism among the younger generation.”

Diverse Program and Hands-on Experience

In addition to group work, the program included a series of lectures by renowned experts from various countries. Among others, participants attended lectures by Jasmina Dončić and Anđela Pljakić (Academia Sumadija) on using Chat GPT for tourism innovations, and by Jolanta Mačėnienė (Vilniaus Kolegija) on cybersecurity in virtual reality. They also visited IZUM and viewed the VEGA supercomputer, providing participants with insights into advanced computing technologies.

Almedina Kadrić, one of the international participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, described her experience as extremely valuable: “It was amazing to see how VR and AR technologies can transform tourism experiences. Participating in the project gave me a wealth of practical experience that I can apply in my future work or career.”

Conclusion with Certificate Presentation 

On the final day, students presented their projects to a panel of mentors and company representatives. The projects were evaluated based on criteria such as innovation, user experience, and the integration of VR/AR technologies. Guest lecturer Douglas Emilio Cabezas Guardado (University of Technology of El Salvador) praised the participants for their creativity and dedication.

The autumn school concluded with the awarding of participation certificates, and students took the opportunity to network with peers from different countries. Participants also earned 3 ECTS credits for their participation and successful completion of the program and all tasks, which will assist them in their further academic and professional development.

Opportunities for the Future 

The MediaXperience Autumn Tech School was an excellent example of how Erasmus+ projects can unite students and industry partners to develop solutions for real-world challenges. The event has fostered further collaboration between institutions and companies, providing students with even more opportunities for international cooperation in the future.