NMBU VR-Lab is participating in the FORWARD Erasmus+ project, an international initiative focused on strengthening urban resilience through open science, education, and community engagement in war-affected regions. The lab leads the integration of VR and AI technologies into resilience training, contributing immersive and data-driven methods to interdisciplinary education.
The NMBU VR-Lab is participating in the FORWARD Erasmus+ (E+) project, titled Urban Resilience through Open Science, Education, and Community Engagement in War Regions. The project brings together international academic partners to strengthen education, research capacity, and community-oriented resilience strategies in contexts affected by conflict and instability. It was officially launched during a kick-off meeting hosted by OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University from January 26–28, 2026. Representatives from partner institutions met to establish the academic framework, define work packages, and coordinate implementation strategies for the upcoming phases.
FORWARD addresses key academic themes including housing and settlements, water and energy systems, agriculture and food production, and gender equity as a cross-cutting dimension of resilience. The VR-Lab plays a central role in integrating advanced digital tools into resilience education and training.
Within the project, the NMBU VR-Lab leads the task Integration of VR & AI for Urban Resilience Training. This work focuses on developing immersive and AI-supported training environments that strengthen urban resilience education in war-affected regions. The activity combines VR-based simulations with AI-driven analytical tools to support the interpretation of resilience in real-world urban scenarios, linking digital innovation with applied, case-based learning.
Implementation is grounded in real urban case studies and hands-on training delivered in close collaboration with partner institutions. A central component is the organization of two onsite technical workshops for students and academic staff. The first workshop will launch testing and build technical capacity through hands-on VR/AI training, case study setup, and initial scenario trials, with feedback guiding further refinement. The second workshop will focus on evaluation and integration, refining scenarios, validating AI outputs against resilience indicators, and integrating the finalized VR/AI modules into the project platform.