UPTAKERS - Upgrading academic skills and innovative caPacities through virTuAlly Enclusive hybRid Studios

Starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has shown that access to education is essential to ensuring a swift recovery, while promoting equal opportunities for all. As part of this recovery process, using means of virtual communicating and sharing information was a strong shift that is already in action by many industries. Using formats of extended reality in teaching, communicating, and project execution provide an inclusive dimension that will be able to provide opportunities for personal, socio-educational and professional development of academics, students, and community of the universities in this consortium.Starting 2022 , with the vast AI application and chatbots being available for everyone to try, design, and produce, it became more essential for young entrepreneurs and marketers to profoundly navigate the digital world of design and product delivery. Adding to this the META market and its immersive environment and market , it is non-negotiable that XR and digitizing products using XR mediums is a must have skill for our students.Using formats of extended reality in developing digital skills and competences and skills in forward-looking fields will provide strong contribution in motivating innovation and bridging the knowledge, skills and capabilities gap that is found between graduate’s capabilities and business capacities in the MENA partners against the knowledge and competences of the market in Europe.As businesses need to become more competitive through talent and innovation, this investment benefit individuals, institutions, organizations and society as a whole find sustainable growth and richness.