Lethbridge College heading into metaverse with online campus

Lethbridge College has partnered up with Liquid Avatar Technologies to give students 9,000 plots of land within its Aftermath Islands Metaverse. It has been named Lethbridge College Island. The metaverse is a virtual reality world where participants can interact and experience things as they would in the real world. Students from the college will be able to learn in a virtual setting alongside their in person classes. Cherie Bowker, the Chair of the School of Spatial Design Technologies with the college, says this will be vital for students.

“Building out an island in the metaverse and leading in that way when we are watching the direction of where the metaverse is going to go with great excitement will be invaluable for them. Not only in terms of the creativity, the building of those worlds, and the possibility in the very short future meeting inside of that space while also being able to lead. These students are going to get some experience in entrepreneurship, and leading in this space.”

Aftermath Islands Metaverse represents theme based islands, communities, and estates where players can experience adventures and opportunities. Students will begin with the new program by the winter semester of 2022.

100,000 in-game currency credits are being given to the college. Students can use them to build, buy and trade assets like property, avatars and landscape items.

Students in Interior Design Technology, Virtual and Augmented Reality and Architectural Animation Technology programs will create structures and businesses while completing transactions. Every student will receive a parcel of virtual land. The plot and all the assets they create for it will remain their property for as long as they choose.  The college will also have a significant parcel of virtual land to provide students with virtual events, learning and other services.

“Providing the next generation of creative and technical thinkers with the tools to engage in new technologies that are primed to change consumer behaviour is an exciting opportunity for Liquid Avatar Technologies and Aftermath Islands,” said David Lucatch, President, CEO & Chair, Liquid Avatar Technologies and Managing Director of Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited. “We envision this collaboration with Lethbridge College as a sandbox for learning and acquiring significant tangible experience, providing Canadian students with an advantage when entering the evolving job market.”

 CTED students will have hands-on opportunities to build out Lethbridge College Island by working closely with experts in the field, as well as faculty, who will mentor them in the development of the property.

“Our students are sure to gain a better sense of working outside their comfort zones as they tackle real-world problems and develop core competencies such as collaboration and leadership, while at the same time increasing their employability,” says Candace Lewko, Associate Dean of the Centre for Technology, Environment and Design. “We are confident our students will be making an impact and will be equipped with all the skills necessary to join the workforce.”