We are creating international experiences that will make lasting impact

How do we create social interactions with virtual reality and develop soft skills? This is the question our project focuses on. FII;)CA project idea originated during Covid-19 pandemic, when physical meetings were not possible and we were forced to rethink connections, learning and socializing. The project is a collaboration between international organizations: Centria University of Applied Sciences in Finland, Antwerpen University in Belgium, Ispgaya in Portugal, University of Malaga in Spain, Asociación Building Bridges in Spain, AIDI in Spain, and GEA College in Slovenia.

Project’s aim is to develop the use of social virtual reality (SVR) in different contexts with Mozilla Hubs environment, we are doing this with students in international development events. During the past three years the themes of development events have been relaxation, learning and the last one in March 2026 entrepreneurship. Main development of SVR Hubs environments has been done during these three 8-day events with students from different degree programs from partner institutions. During the events students worked in multidisciplinary and international teams of five people, one from each institution. These events were creating a safe space for collaborative learning of soft skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, creativity and adaptability alongside learning about SVR development.

These kinds of events are important to students for many reasons. The popularity of long international exchanges has been declining in recent years. The short exchanges like these in FII;)CA project, can introduce students to new institutions and lower the threshold to go abroad for a longer one.

The intensive experience also forces friendships quickly. Students have a great opportunity to network with 40 other future professionals and staff members around the world, to form an international network for themselves.

During the intensive work at these events students learn important skills for working life, not just for their studies. The meaning of having skills to work in international and multidisciplinary teams is increasing. In our events students gain experience of how to form a functional team with people you haven’t met before and learn to understand the value of different skills sets and mindsets. They learn about overcoming cultural differences and even benefit from them. This way of working gives practical experience to learn how to communicate your own skills and ways of interacting with other people.

The intensive experience also forces friendships quickly. Students have a great opportunity to network with 40 other future professionals and staff members around the world, to form an international network for themselves. These friendships that are formed by shared experiences and challenges during the event last long time.

From staff perspective it is also possible to create new professional networks and start new co-operation outside the project agenda and friendships. Learning by developing together with people from different fields and solving problems together, will make connections deepen fast also for the staff members. This experience gives new perspective on how to apply SVR in own work and life as well as to mentoring students.

“I find that we also connect with other universities and study fields. We are planning some common projects, research and co-operation for future. Planning how we can connect students to the new projects.”

Forming new networks and partnerships for new future co-operations are important. Participants get into new scientific conferences and write papers together. This co-operation will also lead to new projects being applied together. Everyone participating in these events has learned something new, capacity and competence building. We work through some conflicts together; big and international consortiums bring also challenges as well as good things. Working in multinational and different faculties is challenging but brings new perspectives and is very rewarding on short term and in long run.

FII;)CA 2023-1-BE02-KA220-HED-000159576 is co-funded by the European union, a higher education (HED) grant from Erasmus+.