– POSTECH is the first university in Korea to equip all freshmen with VR devices to conduct experiments at home with VR and AR content.
– POSTECH seeks mutual growth in education, tourism, and industries in the region by signing an MOU with Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organization.

POSTECH has created an innovative classroom concept where virtual reality (VR), augmented reality, (AR) and mixed reality (MR) are simultaneously applied, and showcased a virtual lecture using this new advanced technology.

On May 27, POSTECH conducted a virtual physics lecture including an experiment – generated by VR, AR, and MR technologies – in a VR/AR/MR classroom located on the first floor of LG Cooperative Electronics Engineering Building on campus.

POSTECH started VR classes in April 2021 to maintain the educational quality and to encourage creative, self-directed learning after all classes moved online due to the spread of COVID-19. For this purpose, POSTECH built a 106-seat classroom equipped with VR·AR·MR capabilities and became the first university in Korea to provide VR (Oculus Quest 2) devices to all freshmen for their lab classes.

“If virtual lab classes become more sophisticated, it can lead to a new educational paradigm in the post COVID-19 era,” commented Prof. Gunsu Yun of the Department of Physics who incorporated the VR-based experiment component to his courses. “Through VR, AR, and MR-based classes, students can continue their studies anywhere in the world, beyond the boundaries of a physical campus.”

POSTECH goes even further by sending an experiment kit to every freshman to conduct experiments at home while taking lab courses with the VR devices. In addition to physics experiments, POSTECH will gradually expand to chemistry and other core courses containing experiments.
Prof. Wooksung Kim of the Department of Electrical Engineering and POSTECH’s first Industry-Academia Collaboration Professor remarked, “We can experience various contents such as dangerous or inaccessible places without being limited by time or space.” He added, “This technological innovation enables us to create bigger value not just in education but in other sectors.”

On the same day, POSTECH signed a Gyeongbuk-style Smart Tourism Platform MOU with the Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organization. Starting with this government-university partnership, POSTECH plans to pursue mutual growth in the region based on VR·AR·MR technologies in education, tourism and other industrial sectors.