[The Star] New metacampus for SEGi

Virtual reality: The SEGi MetaCampus allows students to learn while having fun.

SEGi University & Colleges, one of the education providers in Malaysia with over 18,000 students across five campuses, has unveiled the country’s first campus in the metaverse – SEGi MetaCampus.

It is SEGi’s latest leap into the Fifth Industrial Revolution (IR5.0), introducing an immersive 3D, virtual learning experience to transform Malaysia’s online and hybrid education landscape completely.

“SEGi is the first university in Malaysia to launch such a unique campus, which will radically change the way students learn, interact and connect,” said SEGi University & Colleges group managing director Tan Sri Clement Hii at the virtual launching event recently.

Hii added that SEGi MetaCampus – the group’s sixth campus – will revolutionise the learning experience, with its self-sustainable ecosystem in the metaverse and specialised applications for learning and teaching.

“Students can attend lectures, social and community engagement events, and meet potential employers seamlessly anytime, anywhere,” he said in a press release on July 1.

The SEGi MetaCampus is accessible to all students. It has integrated links between multiple 3D universes like 100 lecture halls, 300 lecture rooms, 30 meeting rooms, six libraries, 50 retail shops, 30 student hangouts and six concert halls.

According to Magnus Games Studio, the developer and technology partner for the SEGi MetaCampus, users need to download the SoCrwd application available on both Google PlayStore and Apple App Store.

Users will then need to register an account and customise an avatar representing them before they can start exploring the features and functions in the metacampus.

These include hosting events and meetings, sharing links, taking selfies, speaking, playing mini-games, shopping and holding concerts online.

“This is only the beginning. We will be adding more interesting content,” said Magnus Games Studio managing director D.C. Gan.SEGi University & Colleges managing director Stella Lau said the best is yet to come.

A number of other features such as an integrated Blackboard account, payment gateway, access to a library account, and online courses will be accessible in the future.

“This is very exciting, and students can have fun while learning. This avatar concept helps students overcome their shy character as most of the time, shy students will turn off their cameras and microphones during online classes.

“With this avatar concept, students can meet people and turn on the microphone to speak to others. We have lecture rooms, lecture halls, concert halls and many more to have fun in this MetaCampus,” Lau said.