MaDE-for-UASs Certifies 46 Lecturers on VR and AR-Based Teaching Methodologies
The MaDE-for-UASs Project has successfully certified 46 lecturers drawn from 15 Universities of Applied Sciences across Ethiopia after they completed an intensive Training of Trainers (ToT) programme on Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) for education delivery.
The four-week capacity-building training was conducted as part of the project’s ongoing efforts to modernize teaching and learning practices in Ethiopian Universities of Applied Sciences through innovative and technology-driven methodologies. The programme was facilitated by experts from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, who provided both theoretical and practical sessions focusing on the integration of immersive technologies into classroom instruction.
The training equipped participating lecturers with foundational knowledge and practical competencies on how VR and AR technologies can be used to create engaging, interactive, and practice-oriented learning environments. Participants were introduced to the design, development, and application of immersive learning experiences that can enhance student engagement, improve understanding of complex concepts, and bridge the gap between theory and practical application.
The initiative aligns with the broader objective of the MaDE-for-UASs project, which seeks to strengthen the quality of applied science education in Ethiopia by introducing innovative pedagogical approaches, strengthening industry-oriented teaching methodologies, and promoting experiential learning through emerging technologies.
MaDE-for-UASs: Driving the Change
MaDE-for-UASs — Methodology and Didactic Education for Universities of Applied Sciences — is a collaborative Erasmus+ project implemented by a consortium of 10 partners, including seven institutions from Ethiopia and three from Europe, together with industry participation. The project focuses on empowering lecturers, modernizing teaching methodologies, and enhancing the relevance of higher education to the evolving demands of the labour market.
The certified lecturers are expected to play a multiplier role within their respective institutions by cascading the knowledge and skills gained during the training to fellow academic staff and contributing to the wider adoption of immersive learning technologies in Ethiopian higher education institutions.