Students invited to take part in experimental VR learning experience

Students and guests at the upcoming Henley Business School open days will be invited to practice their interview, leadership and sales skills thanks to a new partnership with Bodyswaps and Meta

Young woman wearing vr glasses playing virtual game using remote

Students will be offered the chance to hone their interpersonal skills using virtual reality (VR) thanks to a new partnership between Henley Business School, Bodyswaps and Meta.

Workshops to try out the new technology will be offered to students and guests at the business school’s upcoming open days.

The immersive scenario simulations use a combination of the latest technologies (VR, AI, 3D and data analytics) to provide scenario-based simulations where students can learn and practice soft skills and receive real-time feedback. Some simulations include:

Public speaking & presentation
Job interview simulator
Inclusive leadership
Customer Service

Henley is one of only 106 colleges and universities in the world to receive the Bodyswaps and Meta Immersive Learning grant.

The web-based platform simulations can be accessed from any device: PC, Laptop, Tablets, Mobile phone and VR Headsets.

Dr Fabio Goncalves de Oliveira, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Henley Business School who, said: “I am very excited and happy to be one of the first recipients of this grant, which will enable us to offer Henley students the opportunity to practice soft skills in virtual reality.”

CEO and Co-Founder of Bodyswaps, Christophe Mallet said: “Immersive technologies represent an immense opportunity to improve education for traditionally underserved populations. This grant, the largest of its kind ever, will demonstrate the impact VR learning can have at scale and show the way for a more human-centric and equalitarian future for education.”

Prospective students and guests will be able to try out the new technology at Henley business School’s forthcoming open days on Saturday 4 March, Saturday 18 March and Tuesday 4 April. For more information and to register visit https://www.henley.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/open-days.

Henley Business School students can book a 20-min slot to experience the VR simulations by accessing this calendar.

Faculty members and students of the University of Reading can request full access to the library of simulations by sending their request to f.deoliveira@henley.ac.uk with the subject: VR Experience. Then they will receive an invite to register and gain access to the Bodyswaps platform. Unlimited access to the platform is until 20 April 2023.