But is this a potential reality for universities? 

In this Inaugural Lecture, Professor Burnett will reflect on the research he has conducted within his own teaching of VR.

Hundreds of his students have been socially immersed as avatars within virtual worlds based on past, present, future or imaginary places and been bestowed with “super-powers”. They have interacted with biological cells within the human body and viewed the world from the perspective of someone who is colour blind. 

He has also explored the use of advanced hologram technology in university environments – for example, “beaming in” guest speakers from across the globe. 

Drawing on this experience, he will outline the fundamental arguments for immersive technology and describe the research partnerships he has nurtured with both students and staff – seeking to understand how best to use immersion for enhancing and extending learning outcomes. 

This will lead to an exploration of how the Higher Education sector can scale immersive learning to transform the experience of all students within the context of an inclusive and accessible “virtual campus”.