Interdisciplinary network aims to advance research on the metaverse
European Metaverse Research Network launched
Barcelona, 17. May 2023
Eight research institutions working in seven different countries in Europe have launched the European Metaverse Research Network. The purpose of the European Metaverse Research Network (EMRN) is to carry out research that will map out both the highly beneficial possibilities inherent in the metaverse as well as possible risks and challenges related to it. The network will achieve this through interdisciplinary research and through collaboration with industry partners, civil society organizations and policymakers to ensure knowledge sharing and building the metaverse responsibly.
“The importance of the type of research carried out by the EMRN cannot be underestimated. The EMRN must negotiate its research program in the pendulum that swings from the exciting possibilities that could emerge from this revolutionary technological transformation to the challenges involved. The role of EMRN is to support the process of developing the metaverse in a responsible manner” says VR researcher Mel Slater, the coordinator of the network.
The founding members of the EMRN are the following research institutions: Paris Dauphine-PSL University (France), Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Milan Polytechnic University (Italy), Renaissance Numérique (France), RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (Sweden), TNO The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (The Netherlands), University of Alicante (Spain), and University of Technology in Poznan (Poland). The network is being led independently by VR researcher Mel Slater (University of Barcelona) in collaboration with the previously listed research institutions. The network is an initiative that stems out of a group of research institutions, who had received funding provided through an unrestricted donation by Meta in 2022.
“The metaverse is set to change the way we meet and collaborate, enabling us to break distance barriers of our shared experiences and creating new possibilities for social connections combining digital and physical worlds. Exploring the vast potential of the metaverse, for example in the context of defining the future of work, requires a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, and the European Metaverse Research Network (EMRN) is at the forefront of this effort. By bringing together experts and institutes from a wide range of fields and fostering innovative research, EMRN is playing a crucial role in shaping the future of this transformative emerging technology and ensuring that it reflects European values and priorities in building a responsible metaverse.” says Sylvie Dijkstra-Soudarissanane from TNO The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, who are one of the EMRN founding members.
The idea of this interdisciplinary network is to enhance the research on the metaverse, to support the process of knowledge sharing, to arrange regular metaverse lectures and to produce joint publications. For more information concerning the network, please visit the website of the network .