Campus of the Future

International School of Helsinki

Alongside three leading European universities, ISH has been chosen as an ‘HP Campus of the Future’ for Hewlett-Packard’s groundbreaking research in improving student wellbeing through highly immersive social virtual reality. ISH is the only secondary school in the world to be involved, following the footsteps of universities such as Yale and MIT, who have previously partnered in the project.

The International School of Helsinki’s proposal is to investigate this technology to support identity, diversity and wellbeing. The IB school will use the student equity group as the core of the research and as a platform to increase student participation in anti-discrimination work. The project aims to co-create a "classroom" (virtual environment) with students that increases belonging and well being through sounds, images, interactions, activities, use of avatars and more. We imagine social virtual learning spaces such as birch forests with calming natural sounds to brainstorm while having the ability to share presentations, stories, improvisation and creative expression.

HP will supply the school with the needed equipment and ISH invites local and world partners such as Helsinki Edtech Hub to help lead this new pedagogy. www.ishelsinki.fi