No Passport Required: Universities Launch VR and Online Exchange Project for Engineers 

A new international research initiative aims to redefine how engineering students improve their communication skills not only academically but also in professional environments, helping their future employability and career evolution. The IMMER-LIT project, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, is led by researchers at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in collaboration with researchers from Universitat de Lleida, Universitat de Girona, Universitat de Vic, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Universidad de Almería, and from Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (Finland). The project will investigate how immersive digital environments can improve the linguistic skills of future engineers.

Engineering education is typically connected to real-world practice, yet language and communication training often remains limited to the classroom context. IMMER-LIT aims to bridge this gap by studying how Virtual Reality (VR) simulations and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) experiences can help students develop professional communication abilities. These digital activities will allow learners to participate in realistic scenarios, which will range from simulated meetings to international teamwork. Through them, students will practise the genres and specific documents used in engineering workplaces in a safe environment.

Using an ethnographic, mixed-method approach, the research team will analyse various types of materials, including student productions, interviews, and classroom practices, to understand how immersive learning shapes their confidence, overall communicative competence, and motivation to further develop their skills. The project aims not only to create scientific knowledge, but also to provide practical guidelines for designing courses that will prepare students for real professional communication demands. 

The initiative is based on the team’s extensive research trajectory in disciplinary literacies, English for Specific Purposes, and technology-enhanced learning. Members have previously contributed to major public funded projects such as LIDISELF and ASSEMID, which identified key challenges in students’ mastery of disciplinary genres, as well as Erasmus+ i-BEE-VR, where professional VR scenarios for engineering communication were developed and tested. Their work is also supported by active participation in international research and teaching networks such as AELFE and TAPP, reflecting a strong record of collaboration, innovation, and impact in the field.

By generating knowledge about the educational value of immersive activities, IMMER-LIT aims to support universities, educators, and policymakers in building more relevant, inclusive, and internationally connected learning environments. Ultimately, the project positions communication as a core engineering skill, helping students develop their soft skills and become more competitive in the current global ecosystem. 

Project PID2024-156558NB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and FEDER,UE