Revolutionizing Education Through Immersion

Initiated in 2018, the UMverse is a groundbreaking initiative at the University of Miami to integrate emerging technologies within educational and research environments. The program utilizes immersive technology to revolutionize educational approaches. It aims to move beyond conventional learning tools, such as textbooks, photographs, films, or video games, and instead incorporate immersive and multi-sensory experiences and simulations. UMverse also hopes to spur research about optimal ways to transform the educational landscape and redefine the campus experience while providing personalized and interactive learning and patient care opportunities.  

The University of Miami began integrating immersive technologies into its classrooms in 2019. By the spring of 2020, it held its first class entirely in virtual reality (VR). And by the spring of 2024, immersive content had been incorporated into over 40 courses across all schools and campuses as part of the VR Learning Initiative (VRLI), a comprehensive program to enable immersive learning through faculty education programs and access to technology. 

Currently, immersive technologies are utilized in a range of disciplines, including psychology, architecture, art history, religion, computer and software engineering, anatomy, music engineering, and others. The Miller School of Medicine has even incorporated a VR learning module for first-year medical students. So far, the VRLI has impacted close to 1,000 University of Miami students. 

In the fall of 2024, the University plans to launch the UMVerse Experience, a VR training module for the first-year experience course. This will involve providing every incoming student (approximately 2,300 per year) with a VR headset, making the technology a standard part of their learning toolkit, and teaching them how to use the headsets effectively.

Currently, the University of Miami is conducting 24 research projects spanning diverse fields that include health care, oceanography, and the arts and humanities. This initiative is part of the University's strategic push to encourage faculty members to investigate new technologies and the possible impacts on their areas of expertise. A summary of each individual research project is listed further in this document.  

Immersive technologies enable the limitless extension of classroom boundaries, making it possible for students to virtually visit the International Space Station, as well as global historical wonders like the Acropolis, to simulate coral reef restoration techniques without getting wet, and much more. Additionally, creating immersive projects at the Virtual Experiences Simulation Lab (VESL) encourages the collaboration of interdisciplinary teams. Currently, students from 14 different majors are contributing to the VESL, offering them unparalleled experiential learning opportunities. These opportunities provide hands-on experience right on campus, effectively combining the apprenticeship model with the high-quality research output of an R1 institution like ours.