BSOVR - Berlin School of Virtual Reality (UG)

The Berlin School of VR makes virtual and extended reality (VR/XR) accessible to people who have never used a headset. Founded by Katharina Haverich, we work at the intersection of immersive technology, culture and education, and we believe VR literacy will become as fundamental as digital literacy has been over the past two decades.

We offer practical, hands-on training that builds confidence first and technical expertise second. Participants learn to operate standalone headsets, set up privacy and safety settings, create a virtual identity, and communicate and collaborate in social VR environments. Once they feel at home in virtual spaces, they start designing their own: planning a classroom, exhibition, meeting room or community space around a real purpose and building it with accessible creation tools. This turns participants from consumers into creators. Every session pairs practice with guided reflection on digital identity, ethics, accessibility, inclusion and the societal impact of immersive technologies.

Our methodology is device-independent. We teach transferable XR competencies rather than one specific platform, so learners can adapt as the ecosystem evolves. Formats range from introductory workshops and teacher training to specialised programmes for cultural organisations and the workforce, delivered in person or in remote social VR sessions.

Since launch, we have worked with schools, universities, libraries, cultural institutions, SMEs and innovation networks in Germany and beyond. Partners and collaborators include IHK Berlin, Volkshochschule Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Technologiestiftung Berlin, the Institute of Electronic Business, Young Arts Neukölln, re:publica, Jivo Akademie, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the University of East London and Jagiellonian University. Our work was supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion (2024–2025).

We are looking for Horizon Europe partners in research, adult and vocational education, culture and the public sector. We can contribute training and capacity-building, pilot workshops and co-creation sessions, user feedback for the design of accessible virtual world tools, and dissemination through our cultural and educational networks.