In January 2026, Ljubljana spearheaded the future of inclusive learning as the Ministry of Education and the University of Ljubljana empowered 18 pioneering educators to master the transformative potential of Virtual Reality in the classroom!
Between 16th and 19th January 2026, the Slovenian Ministry of Education and the University of Ljubljana successfully hosted a transformative “Train the Teachers” course in Ljubljana for 18 local educators. It was an intensive 25-hour programme, promoted in the scope of the VR4Empathy project, designed to equip teachers with the pedagogical and technical expertise required to integrate Virtual Reality (VR) into their curricula as a purposeful tool for fostering cognitive empathy.
The training, which consisted of 23 hours of face-to-face interaction and 2 hours of autonomous work, brought together a diverse group of 18 teachers representing subjects ranging from History and Biology to Geography and English. Led by a team of 6 expert trainers, the sessions moved beyond the mere technical use of VR headsets to explore the deep neuroscientific foundations of empathy and the practical implementation of the project’s Quality Assurance Framework (QAF).
Participants engaged in hands-on workshops where they watched the project’s 10 immersive 360° videos and simulated the “4–5 headset rotation” workflow, ensuring they could manage VR experiences within standard school timetables. A key highlight of the event was the participatory co-design approach, where teachers critically reviewed the project’s lesson plans and adapted them to the specific socio-cultural dynamics and constraints of their own classrooms.
The narrative from the sessions was overwhelmingly positive, with organisers reporting a high level of satisfaction and professional reflection among the attendees. Despite minor technical hurdles with the VR equipment, which served as a practical learning opportunity for pre-lesson preparation, the educators demonstrated a strong sense of ownership over the resources. Armed with these new digital skills and a focus on 21st-century competencies, these Slovenian teachers are now fully prepared to pilot these immersive experiences, helping their students navigate complex social issues through the power of perspective-taking.
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