Lancaster University’s VR AI language learning project, led by Dr Alícia Moreno Giménez in collaboration with the Innovation Team and colleagues managing The Data Immersion Suite, has been shortlisted for two national awards in 2026: Digital Innovation of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards and the Immersive Experiential Learning category at the QS Reimagine Education Awards. These shortlistings provide independent evidence of quality, innovation and wider relevance.

Originally, this project was conceived and developed at Lancaster University and has been deployed within the Lancaster’s Data Immersion Suite. The project’s pedagogical design has shaped how learners interact with the technology and now supports its use in diverse educational environments. The project has since reached learners beyond higher education, visiting three Lancaster schools and delivering immersive sessions at the London AI Campus, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, consultancy and testing beyond higher education and demonstrating growing national impact.

The team continues to work with the wider community to bring VR AI to more learners, supporting confidence, participation and engagement in language learning across diverse educational contexts.