News & Events
Project description:
XR offerings (XR: extended reality), which are based on immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), have increasingly become part of our lives in recent years. The spectrum is diverse and ranges from offerings that are purely for entertainment to those that explicitly pursue educational purposes. The new technologies have also increasingly found their way into university teaching. However, the integration of XR-based programmes has often failed due to a lack of didactic concepts and the technical and media-didactic skills of teaching staff. The central aim of the project is to develop a teaching/learning concept that aims to reflexively integrate existing VR/AR technologies into university teaching and, building on this, to promote diversity-sensitive teaching in the social sciences, humanities and cultural studies. By linking technical knowledge, promoting digital skills and raising awareness of diversity, it is possible to respond to digital change and globalisation.
Project Manager
Dr. Christian Hellwig
Senior Research Staff
Phone
Address
Callinstraße 20
30167 Hannover
30167 Hannover
Building
Room
Dr. Christian Hellwig
Senior Research Staff
Phone
Project Lead
Dr. Wolfgang Beutel
Executive Board
Phone
Address
Callinstraße 22
30167 Hannover
30167 Hannover
Building
Room
Dr. Wolfgang Beutel
Executive Board
Phone
Project Supervisor
Dr. Elizaveta Firsova-Eckert
Senior Research Staff
Phone
Address
Callinstraße 22
30167 Hannover
30167 Hannover
Building
Room
Dr. Elizaveta Firsova-Eckert
Senior Research Staff
Phone
NEWS & EVENTS
Kick-Off-Meeting in Hanover
The kick-off meeting of the project consortium took place on 28 and 29 May 2024 at the Institute for Didactics of Democracy. During the two-day project meeting, the potentials and risks that need to be considered with regard to the integration of XR applications in university teaching were discussed intensively. A particular focus of the meeting was also on gathering concrete practical experience. Another highlight of the meeting was the practical experience with XR. Part of the programme consisted of playfully exploring an environment with VR glasses. This activity further heightened the participants' awareness of the emotionalization that is possible through XR applications. Overall, the meeting was a successful kick-off for the ReX project, which laid important foundations for future collaboration. A detailed report on the project and the kick-off meeting can also be found on the institute's own science blog "Abseits der Fußnote".
Second project meeting in Vienna
On 23 and 24 October, the consortium met in Vienna to intensively discuss the work status achieved so far. The meeting centred on the mutual presentation of the modules of the teaching-learning concept developed by the partners, which will form the basis for the handbook on the use of XR in university teaching at the end of the project. In addition, the further timetable was agreed, and the next work steps were discussed.
Third Project Meeting in Pavia
The "Rex"-Team met in Pavia on 29 - 30 October 2025 to discuss the next project milestones, the development of the ReX handbook, and the upcoming dissemination activities across the partner institutions.
The team members focused on the transition from the project's teaching and training concepts to the creation of a comprehensive handbook on the use of Extended Reality. The partners reflected on the results of previous pilot activities and discussed how the handbook can provide practical guidance for educators interested in using immersive technologies in teaching and learning contexts.
The meeting highlighted the importance of supporting educators not only with technical information, but also with pedagogical orientation and practical methodologies. Feedback gathered during previous testing phases showed strong interest in XR-based teaching approaches while also revealing a need for structured guidance, checklists and accessible entry points for teachers and students.
Another important topic of discussion was the preparation of the project's multiplier events. These events aim to present the ReX handbook and the project's results to wider audiences, including students, teachers, schools and regional stakeholders. The consortium exchanged ideas for interactive event formats that combine presentations, workshops and practical XR experiences.
Fourth Project Meeting in Passau
The ReX project consortium met in Passau on 23 - 24 February 2026 to continue the collaborative development of the handbook "Reflecting XR for a Diversity-Sensitive Higher Education" and to coordinate the final phase of the Erasmus+ project.
A central focus of the meeting was the transformation of the project's teaching and learning concepts into a coherent and practice-oriented handbook for higher education. Another important aspect of the meeting was the discussion of the handbook's overall conceptual structure and coherence. The team members reflected on how the individual modules can be more closely interconnected in order to create a consistent and progressive learning experience for readers. Particular attention was given to strengthening cross-references between chapters, aligning key concepts and ensuring that central themes are developed across the handbook from multiple perspectives. The modules should not be understood as isolated units, but rather as complementary components that collectively support critical reflection on XR technologies and their educational implications.
The meeting in Passau was the final meeting in presence. With the handbook entering its final development phase and dissemination activities expanding across the participating cities, the project continues to contribute to the discussion on how immersive technologies can be used responsibly and meaningfully in educational contexts.
Partnership
Project Consortium
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Institute for Didactics of Democracy
As a research institute, we focus on civic education on a national and international scale. Dealing with anti-democratic tendencies and the development of tools to challenge them is one of our core competences.
Within the AI.D-project, we take the role of the project coordinator and contribute decisively to the development of competencies of vocational teachers and students to expand their knowledge of AI and ADM as well as their general media literacy.
Contact Person: Dr. Christian Hellwig
Website: https://www.idd.uni-hannover.de/de/
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University of Pavia
The University of Pavia is one of the world’s oldest academic institutions: it was founded in 1361 and until the 20th century it was the only university in the Milan area and the region of Lombardy. Today 24,000 students, from both Italy and overseas, study at our University. The University of Pavia covers all subject areas and is composed of 18 Departments offering study programmes at all levels, from Bachelor’s degrees to Doctorate programmes. Research departments promote and coordinate research activities. They embrace one or more research sectors which are homogeneous as regards goals, methods and subjects taught but often subdivided into sections (Sezioni) in which groups of teachers with similar research and teaching profiles participate.
Contact Person: Prof.ssa Emanuela Dalzotto
Website: http://www.unipv.eu
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University of Passau
The University of Passau stands for excellent research, innovative teaching and diverse transfer. Openness to the world and diversity are essential components of this excellence. The promotion of such research and teaching as well as the creation of outstanding working conditions - especially for students and young academics - is our guiding principle.
In addition, the university is committed to playing a key role as a leading academic institution in the development of the region through excellent research, research-based transfer and co-operation. Our university is thus a driving force for social innovation processes. On this basis, the academics at the University of Passau are constantly developing the key topic of digitalisation in teaching, research and transfer with a particular focus on topics relating to artificial intelligence. The interdisciplinary networking of researchers is the task of the university's digitalisation hub.
Contact Person: Prof. Dr. Inken Heldt
Website: https://www.uni-passau.de/
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Demokratiezentrum Wien
The Vienna Democracy Centre is an independent academic institution specialising in democracy research and democracy education. The empirical and theoretical research of the Democracy Centre promotes scientific knowledge, strengthens the democratic political discourse and transfers the results into educational programmes. Democracy is an open and dynamic process and must be constantly renegotiated in social and political co-operation. As a continuous learning and shaping process, democracy requires conscious and active cultivation by citizens. As a form of government, society and life, democracy is the starting point and goal of the activities of the Centre for Democracy. Scientific research should also be applied and have a social impact. The Vienna Democracy Centre offers numerous practical services, information materials and didactic suggestions that help to implement political education in a wide variety of forms and contexts.
Contact Person: Zoë Rübbert
Website: https://www.demokratiezentrum.org/
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RESULTS
Academic article published: "Slipping into virtual shoes"
At the turn of the year 2024/2025, the anthology "Innovations in Political (Further) Education" was published. In their article "Slipping into virtual shoes", Christian Hellwig and Abelina dedicate themselves to the importance of XR applications in higher education in the context of the ReX project.
About the book:
“Society is currently facing a condition marked by numerous acute crises. This volume discusses a range of socially relevant challenges and presents projects that address these issues while developing educational approaches for dealing with them. In addition, it brings together innovative methods and concepts for teaching and learning within an interdisciplinary and, above all, European framework. International perspectives on education and continuing education that have emerged through European cooperation are presented, offering a global view on diverse thematic fields. All contributions draw conclusions and develop ideas for the further advancement of political education and continuing education that are relevant for didacticians and educators from a wide variety of fields, including teachers, practitioners of civic and political education in both formal and non-formal contexts, as well as lecturers in adult education.”
Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-46115-7
Academic article published: "Slipping into virtual shoes"
The final publication will be released here during the summer. The handbook consists of four modules in total:
- Module 1: XR in higher education
- Module 2: XR and Didactics
- Module 3: XR & Digital Media Literacy
- Module 4: Intercultural Competencies
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.