The University of Tokyo offers courses in the Metaverse

The University of Tokyo, also known as Todai, will be offering a series of study programs later this year taking place in the Metaverse.

According to a July 23 report from local news outlet The Asahi Shimbun, the courses will be offered to students ranging from high school students to adult students in the workforce.

The publication stated that the Metaverse degree programs will not be delivered through its own dedicated faculty offering degrees, but will instead operate under Todai’s Faculty of Engineering and engineering-related graduate schools. Students who complete the courses receive certificates.

Todai’s project has been launched to address the lack of skilled personnel working on ‘digital transformation’ and ‘advanced technologies’.

University officials also emphasized that studying in the Metaverse will also create a situation where “everyone, regardless of age, gender, social status and place of residence, can learn about engineering and information science.”

Crypto and NFTs were not specifically mentioned, but since the industry is often associated with the Metaverse and features a number of popular Metaverse brands, some mention of blockchain-based platforms is likely to be made.

For high school and high school students, they get an introductory view of the space and learn about the possible roadmaps to find work in engineering, science, and other related fields. They receive the content in a mix of online and face-to-face classes.

University students and those already employed will have opportunities to upskill through related online courses focused on artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation communication technology and entrepreneurship education.

There will also be a push to attract more women to study the programs as the lack of female representation in engineering has been identified as a problem.

The Japanese Metaverse

There have been some notable uses of the Metaverse in Japan in recent months as local citizens find interesting use cases for the technology.

On July 25, Japan Today reported that a support group from Fukuoka called the JACFA has launched a virtual support space on the SecondLife Metaverse platform. The group works specifically to reintegrate Hikkikomori – withdrawn people who essentially refuse to leave their homes – back into society.

Related: Japanese crypto self-regulation ‘experiment’ doesn’t work

The issue has been put forward as a major social problem in Japan, and the idea is to enable Hikkikomori to get emergency care without the pressure of being face-to-face.

In April, it was also reported that 3,800 students from a total of 29 vocational schools (beauty, sports, technology, hospitality, etc.) under the NSG College League in Niigata held their 2022 commencement ceremony in the Metaverse. The event was organized virtually so that everyone could easily attend without running the risk of contracting COVID-19.