Opening of the first immersive multifunctional hub in Ukraine
The first immersive multifunctional hub in Ukraine was opened at West Ukrainian National University.
The main initiator of this project was Valeriia Ionan, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine for European Integration, who said: "Digital inclusion is one of the priority goals of the Ministry of Digital Transformation. Our goal is not only to develop online services, but also to ensure equal access to technology. To promote inclusion and socialisation of different segments of the population, we initiated the opening of the country's first immersive multifunctional hub. It will host virtual classrooms, scientific experiments, and educational and scientific events using innovative and technological methods."
During the war in Ukraine, the number of socially vulnerable groups has increased, and problems of communication, socialisation and interaction among certain segments of the adult population have grown.
According to the Ministry of Veterans' Affairs, there are 851,100 war veterans in Ukraine, of whom 68.3 have disabilities of the first and second groups. Statistics from the Ministry of Social Policy show that there are 5.1 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine and 1,476 children affected by the full-scale armed aggression.
The immersive multifunctional space, which will operate at West Ukrainian National University, is outfitted with modern equipment such as tablets, AR headsets, a hologram-making tool, and a digital whiteboard. This will make it possible to implement new projects in various fields: medicine, science, IT, master new professions, and increase the percentage of communication in the community.
Volodymyr Trush, Head of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, also spoke about the importance of the immersive multifunctional hub for our region. One of the partners of this project is the United Nations Development Programme. Olena Ivanova, UNDP Rehabilitation and Inclusion Project Team Leader attended the opening as well.
Thanking the partners for their cooperation, Oksana Desyatnyuk, Rector of West Ukrainian National University, said: "Today is a landmark day for all of us, because we have managed to open an immersive multifunctional hub that will become an innovative environment for the implementation of creative ideas and digital initiatives. The creation of the hub is a step into the future, where the university is not only a place of knowledge, but also a barrier-free space that increases the level of communication, socialisation and develops digital education among different categories of citizens."
The modern technological equipment was provided by Cisco in Ukraine. Serhii Martynchuk, Head of Cisco Ukraine, told us more about the possibilities of these innovations: "Cisco, as a technology partner, provides modern tools for digital learning and medical and psychological rehabilitation. Ukraine is one of the first countries in the world to test Webex Hologram technology for rehabilitation using holographic virtual reality images.
"This space is an example of the implementation of a socially relevant initiative to create a friendly environment for all categories of people and promote inclusive practices. We managed to create a multifunctional hub where you can study, hold meetings, improve your digital skills and master modern technologies," said Iryna Maslo, deputy head of the NGO "Educational and Analytical Centre for Community Development".
The opening of the hub is part of the 2030 National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Space initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska. The strategy is aimed at creating physical, information, digital, social and civil, economic and educational barrier-free environment for all groups of the population.
Rector Oksana Desyatnyuk invited the guests to test the equipment of the immersive multifunctional hub.
Daria Fedko, head of WE/AR Studio, began the presentation by explaining more about the equipment and its functions. Nazar Ivanitskyi, Head of the Digital Transformation Office of WUNU, together with the staff of the office, introduced the opportunities and benefits of the hub. Everyone had the opportunity to immerse themselves in virtual and augmented reality, take tests that determine the level of anxiety and depression in a person.
The rector showed the guests around the university and told Valeriia Ionan, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine for European Integration, about the digitalisation of WUNU and noted that innovation and digital transformation are key elements of the university's strategy to ensure a modern and competitive educational environment.
West Ukrainian National University thanks all partners for their teamwork to achieve a common goal - the victory and progress of a strong, modern, progressive Ukraine!
