VR4Skills Pilot Training at DOBA Business School

As part of the Erasmus KA2 international project VR4Skills – Comprehensive Training Framework for Leaders of Internationalization enhanced by Virtual Reality (VR) in a post-pandemic era, we concluded the pilot training which contributed to the development of competencies of non-teaching staff employed at higher education institutions across Europe.

Last week, DOBA Business School hosted numerous international partners from WSB University, İstanbul Aydin University, UC Leuven-Limburg, Avans University of Applied Sciences, and the Businet Network under the Erasmus+ VR4skills project. The two-day training event, which took place on April 15 and 16, 2024, at DOBA Business School, marks the completion of the entire pilot training that began in January 2024. This included four weeks of online training and a two-day in-person session.

The complete training comprised four content modules:

Module 1: Mental/Cognitive Health Competencies

Module 1 enabled participants to:

• Assess, evaluate, and enhance their emotional and social intelligence.
• Measure their stress levels to prevent burnout.
• Understand how they can influence their mental well-being.

Module 2: Digital Skills

Module 2 enabled participants to:

• Design digital content suitable for the workplace.
• Assess their use of collaboration and communication tools and find ways to use them more effectively.
• Understand various data storage types.

Module 3: Leadership and Management Skills

Module 3 enabled participants to:

• Identify their leadership skills.
• Use tools to foster change through collaboration, communication, and influence.

Module 4: Intercultural Effectiveness

Module 4 enabled participants to:

• Test their intercultural competencies.
•  Employ new techniques for working in an intercultural environment.

In the second phase of the pilot training for non-teaching staff of higher education institutions, which took place live at the DOBA Business School premises, we focused on Module 1, specifically on personal growth, time management, positive psychology, and aspects related to achieving a successful work-life balance. The training was expertly conducted under the guidance of trainers Hidde Westerweele and Paul Bartels from Avans UAS, and the participants embraced the topics with enthusiasm and commitment, contributing to the outstanding success of the training.

The crowning piece of the project will be the third part of the pilot; establishing a VR environment that will enable participants to further develop their competencies through scenarios in virtual reality.

Such collaborative efforts highlight the crucial importance of interinstitutional cooperation, exchange of experiences, and continuous competence development. Through these partnerships, we are shaping a dynamic learning environment that enables individuals to grow professionally and personally. We look forward to further fruitful collaborations and influential growth in the future.