XR4ED Open Call

Description

The XR4ED project brings together the EdTech and XR communities to establish an European reference platform on learning and training with XR that will provide a central access point to existing solutions and contribute to a leading position for Europe in cutting-edge technologies for education. The XR4ED Open Call is structured into two tracks - Call for Developers and Call for Pilots - and will fund a total of 20 projects with up to €230,000 grant funding per project. 10 projects will be selected for each track. The selected projects will run for a period of 12 months, tentatively starting in October 2024 and ending in September 2025. The specific objectives of the two calls are: Call for Developers: The objective of the track is to enrich the XR4ED platform; it targets the development of new solutions and additional components into the XR4ED platform. Call for Pilots: The objective of the track is to run end-user pilots; it targets the deployment and customisation of the XR4ED solutions and to demonstrate the adoption of XR technologies in an educational environment After selecting a track, applicants must select one of six challenge areas: Virtual field trips Content creation and exploration Awareness of climate change and biodiversity challenges Training of young professionals and upskilling Distance and blended learning Inclusiveness and accessibility. For both tracks, all solutions developed must (1) use the XR4ED platform, (2) demonstrate its value and usefulness, and (3) test and evaluate its functionalities. Specific requirements, KPIs, and target groups to participate in project activities must be considered and described, and can be found in the Technical Annex of the open call documentation. The open call invites start-ups and SMEs, universities, vocational and educational training organisations (VET), and non-for-profit organisations to apply. The Call for Developers targets exclusively start-ups and SMEs; the Call for Pilots welcomes all target entities. Specific participation conditions apply for each track and can be found in the Guidelines for Applicants. The funding is organised into three phases. Payments will be made against the delivery and approval of results and a report at each phase: Phase 1 - Launch & bootcamp: delivery of a detailed project implementation report to unlock 1st payment (40%). Phase 2 - Acceleration: delivery of a progress report to unlock 2nd payment (40%) Phase 3 - DemoDay bootcamp: delivery of a final report to unlock 3rd (final) payment (20%). Through the open call, XR4ED aims mobilise the mentioned communities and fund innovative solutions. The financial support aims to advance early prototypes of XR educational solutions to market-ready products, complemented by technical assistance, workshops, dedicated growth coaching, and progress monitoring provided by consortium participants. Market validation is a key element of the call and programme, with pilots being required to test XR solutions in diverse educational environments, engaging end-users such as schools, high schools, universities, teachers, students, parents, and VET institutions. Projects funded through the initiative must comply with open standards (e.g., WebXR, OpenXR) and publish their outcomes in the European XR4ED Solutions Catalogue.

Beneficiary & submission

Further information