ATLANTA — Clark Atlanta announced this week it was being awarded a nearly $12 million grant to establish a "Knowledge Metaverse" hub.
The Knowledge Metaverse, according to a school release, "amplifies access and engagement in learning by combining the real world with digital information and extended reality (XR) similar to immersive experiences that have become increasingly popular in arts, gaming, and entertainment."
The grant was supplied by EON Reality, described by the school as "the global leader in augmented and virtual reality learning solutions."
Clark Atlanta is the first HBCU to receive such an award, and the school said it would allow them to "offer training to their faculty and students augmenting traditional in person and online instruction."
In a statement, school President George T. French Jr. said, "As we accelerate our momentum, these essential partnerships support our efforts to step into the future of interactive teaching and learning through relevant and future-focused innovations."
EON Reality's founder, Dan Lejerskar, said Clark Atlanta would be an "invaluable addition" to the company's network of U.S. institutions.
"The university brings its rich social justice history and research-intensive instruction to the Knowledge Metaverse," Lejerskar said. “When a university with their commitment to social justice and deep focus on digital learning can utilize and add to the Knowledge Metaverse, the possibilities for reshaping our society are endless. I can’t wait to see how Clark Atlanta University incorporates EON Reality’s solutions into their curriculum.”
The Knowledge Metaverse project was first announced by EON in July 2021.