Insead, the business school, has launched the Insead XR Portal, which it claims is the worlds most extensive collection of learning experiences using virtual reality (VR) technology, coupled with a comprehensive solution to bring these immersive learning experiences to classrooms worldwide.  

Insead XR offers a scalable, cost-effective, and user-friendly XR-based solution that elevates the impact of learning by making it more engaging and memorable. The portal offers access to 20 VR experiences covering a wide range of management topics.  

More than 40 faculty members at Insead have begun using Insead XR in their teaching or research; or are actively involved in the development of VR experiences. Insead XR has onboarded three academic institutions to start using VR experiences in their teaching, with ongoing plans for additional institutions to join. 

“Insead has always been at the forefront of innovation in management education, “ said Professor Francisco Veloso, Dean of Insead. “The Insead XR once again pioneers a new path to innovation and growth. As The Business School for the World, we are proud to see that Insead XR is leading the field of learning and research, making management education more impactful – not only at Insead, but also around the world.” 

Insead XR was developed for academic or corporate partners, spearheaded by Ithai Stern, Professor of Strategy at Insead and Academic Director of the VR Immersive Learning Initiative. Sterns contributions to teaching innovation have earned him the 2023 Strategic Management Society (SMS) Educational Impact Award, presented during the recent SMS Annual Conference in Toronto. 

The prestigious award acknowledges individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the quality and innovation of strategic management teaching. Stern was recognised as a “champion for VR immersive learning” due to his efforts in assembling a global consortium of business school professors dedicated to creating and integrating VR content into management education. 

He said: “Our XR library goes beyond showcasing digital cases. It is a turnkey solution for academic and corporate partners, offering them ready, easy-to-implement suite of immersive learning tools or customised solutions to achieve the desired learning objectives.”   

Thanks to the support of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and a strategic partnership with Avris, Insead XR is being used for management education and experimental academic research.  

In June this year, the Insead Immersive Learning Initiative hosted the 1st Annual Meeting of the Global XR Community at the Insead Middle East Campus in Abu Dhabi, bringing together global scholars using and developing VR for teaching and research. The second edition is scheduled for April 2024 at the Insead San Francisco Hub for Business Innovation.