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Tribune News NetworkDohaThrough a memorandum of understanding signed with Metavisionaries, Qatar University (QU) made history by becoming the first university to join the Metaverse, a world of digital space. The collaboration aims to give students access to space curricula and cutting-edge technologies like Web technology.In order to tackle current and upcoming sustainability concerns, Metavisionaries is a community of change agents, thought leaders and business professionals dedicated to granting access to the space economy and cutting-edge technologies.As part of the collaboration, a video of Dr Omar Al Ansari, vice-president for Academic Affairs at Qatar University, was sent to the International Space Station through Metavisonaries’ partners, ICE Cubes and Malleth II Program in which he stated, “I am proud to be inspiring our next generation with Metavisionaries by bringing space curricula to the masses and providing them with immersive learning experiences to prepare them to create sustainable future and a better world for all.”Professor Rana Sobh, dean of the College of Business and Economics at Qatar University (QU), entered the Metaverse for the first time to deliver a keynote speech about the future of education during the launching event of Metavisionaries. The event included space scientists such as Dr Tara Ruttley, former associate chief scientist NASA); Dr James Green, former chief scientist NASA; as well as educators and other global change makers. During her keynote speech that took place in the metaverse spaceship, Dean Sobh said, “As the national leading university in Qatar and top ranked in the region, we should take the lead in pushing boundaries and keep reinventing our purpose, curricula and pedagogies to remain relevant and prepare our graduate for success in an increasingly turbulent, uncertain and challenging environment. Web.3 will play an ever-increasing role in education in the next few decades. When the history of the educational metaverse is written, we would like to be cited as one of the ground-breaking universities.”Dean Sobh added, “The College of Business and Economics is partnering with Metavisionaries, Ice cubes, Space applications and other global partners to launch a Global Space Sustainability challenge that would bring together students from different disciplines and universities around the globe in the aim to come up with innovative solutions that tackle pressing issues related to one or more areas of Sustainability Development Goals. We need to reimagine business and should no longer make trade-offs between profit and advancing sustainability. We can achieve synergies between the two and leverage space to help achieve that.” Wasim Ahmed, CEO for Metavisionaries, said: “The pandemic accelerated the rate of technology adoption in the education sector. Qatar University showcases the university’s determination to play a leading role in shaping and enabling the transformation to prepare future generations for the future of work.”
