Albright College’s Game and Simulation Development program has been awarded a Create with VR grant from Unity and Meta Immersive Learning. Meta is partnering with Unity to help educational institutions and nonprofits bring their visions for immersive and collaborative learning experiences to underserved learners in technology.
“The grant awarded 15 virtual reality (VR) headsets for use in our Game and Simulation Development major, as well as a complete curriculum to train faculty members in VR development,” explained Mike D’Errico, Ph.D. D’Errico is chair of the Albright’s Music Department, as well as director of music technology and composition and assistant professor of music and computer science.
The new Meta Quest 2 VR headsets will be used to deliver immersive instruction across a range of subjects and to train students to become the creators in the growing, high-wage industry of virtual reality. In addition, Albright faculty will have access to cutting-edge professional VR development opportunities.
Demand for workers with virtual reality skills is growing rapidly across gaming, education, healthcare, automotive, architecture, engineering and beyond. A PwC report on the economic impact of the industry estimates that, by 2030, 23 million jobs will be enhanced globally by augmented and virtual reality. Salaries in the industry also provide ample promise, averaging $158K annually, according to Hired’s 2022 report on the State of Software Engineers. The Create with VR grant will equip Albright faculty with new technology and skills to launch students on this exciting career path.
Unity is the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D content. Creators, ranging from game developers to artists, architects, automotive designers, filmmakers and others use Unity to make their imaginations come to life. Unity’s platform provides a comprehensive set of software solutions to create, run, and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices. Meta is investing $150M to help develop the next generation of metaverse creators, fund high-quality immersive experiences that transform the way we learn, and increase access to learning through technology.
Named a top national college by Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, Albright College (founded 1856) is home to a diverse community of learners who cultivate integrity, curiosity, connection and resilience. Through learning experiences that engage a student’s creative and innovative capacities across all disciplines, both inside and outside of the classroom, an Albright College education guarantees that each student learns how to engage the world, understand the world, and is prepared to make an impact on a rapidly changing world. Located in Reading, Pa., Albright is home to undergraduate students, adult learners and graduate students.
