Turku, Finland — A new European initiative, ExQuMe (Experiential Quantum Mechanic), officially launched on October 2–3, 2025, at the University of Turku. Funded under the Erasmus+ programme, the project brings together a dynamic consortium of equal partners from Finland, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, and France.
United by a shared commitment to innovation and inclusion, ExQuMe aims to transform how quantum mechanics is taught by addressing key student challenges through immersive virtual reality, gamification, and digital storytelling approaches — while actively supporting the participation of women in science education.
The kick-off meeting opened with remarks from Professor Mikko-Jussi Laakso, Director of the Turku Research Institute for Learning Analytics, who highlighted Finland’s leadership in digital learning and the university’s strategic role in educational innovation. Dr. Athanasios Christopoulos, project coordinator, welcomed the consortium and underlined the significance of cross-European collaboration in reshaping the future of STEM education.
The ExQuMe consortium includes:
University of Turku (Finland) – Project coordination and learning analytics expertise
UCLan Cyprus (Cyprus) – Educational framework and research design
University of Patras (Greece) – STEM innovation and serious games in VR expertise
University of Zagreb (Croatia) – Student engagement and educational evaluation
ESTIA Institute of Technology (France) – Technical development and VR content creation
ThePressProject (Greece) – Communication, dissemination, and impact strategy
The project centers on creating five single-player, interactive VR experiences that enable students to explore quantum mechanics through story-driven learning. Each experience will present a distinct, difficulty-based scenario—progressing from foundational principles to advanced quantum phenomena—and designed to address common student misconceptions in physics. These learning journeys will be enhanced by gamified elements and narrative frameworks, helping to make abstract concepts more accessible and engaging.
Importantly, gender inclusivity is embedded throughout the project. The consortium is committed to ensuring that all learning materials, pilot activities, and evaluation tools are informed by gender-sensitive strategies. By identifying and addressing barriers that have historically limited women’s participation in physics, ExQuMe aims to open new, inclusive pathways into science and technology careers.
Over the next few months, the project will carry out a needs assessment involving students and experts from partner institutions, while concurrently developing training materials to support educators. The next transnational meeting will take place in Cyprus in June 2026.
ExQuMe is more than a digital learning tool — it is a bold European collaboration redefining how science is taught and who gets to learn it. By tackling real student challenges and advancing equity in STEM, the project sets a new standard for inclusive, immersive education.
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