Latest Updates
Toll free: 1-800-212-3001 Apply online Pay online
Second-year students of the Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication (MAJMC) from the Birla School of Communication, Birla Global University, visited the Virtual and Augmented Reality Centre of Excellence (VARCoE) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar on 8 September 2026. The academic visit, conducted under the guidance of Dr. Mehul Agarwal, Assistant Professor, introduced the learners to Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), three-dimensional visualisation and their practical uses across different fields.
The visit offered a first-hand look at how immersive technologies can recreate situations, locations and activities in a controlled digital environment. Through a series of demonstrations, the students were introduced to areas such as disaster management, education, healthcare, industrial safety, cultural heritage, defence and training. One of the demonstrations presented an earthquake-response scenario, showing how VR can be used to create controlled situations for learning and preparedness. The group also viewed a virtual chemistry laboratory, where laboratory-based learning could be experienced through a digital setting.
The cultural and heritage-based demonstrations provided another dimension to the visit. The students were shown immersive recreations connected with Ujjain and the Mahakumbh, including the Nandi Abhishek and the larger visual and spiritual atmosphere. A virtual representation of the Jagannath Puri Temple further demonstrated how digital environments can help audiences engage with cultural and religious spaces beyond physical access.
The session also allowed the students to understand the interactive nature of VR. Using head-mounted displays and three-dimensional environments, students could interact with digital objects by moving, picking up and placing them within the simulated space. The group was also able to observe the difference between the perspective of a person inside the headset and the view available outside it. The demonstrations highlighted how VR can provide a 360-degree field of view and create a stronger sense of presence within a digital setting.
Several industry-oriented demonstrations showed the practical role of immersive systems in training and safety. One such module focused on workplace safety and hazard awareness, including situations involving employees and visitors. Another simulation represented an industrial process, including the forging process, to demonstrate how potentially complex or risky activities can be recreated digitally for training purposes. Such controlled environments can allow learners and new employees to understand procedures before encountering similar situations in real-world settings.
The visit also provided an introduction to the entrepreneurial ecosystem associated with VARCoE. Students were familiarised with startups and projects working around immersive and emerging technologies, including AROVR Innovations Pvt. Ltd., Bodyclone Innovations Pvt. Ltd. and Manati Mental Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. The official VARCoE platform identifies Manati Mental Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. as one of its associated startups, reflecting the wider scope of applications being developed around immersive technologies.
Alongside the demonstrations, the students gained a basic understanding of how immersive content is created. The discussion touched upon three-dimensional modelling, digital content development and the process of converting such material into an interactive visual environment. The session also explained how separate visual information is presented to the left and right eyes to create a stereoscopic three-dimensional effect. These insights helped connect the technical process with the final experience seen by a user.
For the students, the visit offered a perspective beyond the technical aspects of AR and VR. It demonstrated how immersive media can influence the way information, stories, places and experiences are communicated to an audience. The students found the visit to be a different and engaging learning opportunity. The ability to interact with digital objects, move through simulated surroundings and observe situations from different perspectives gave them a better understanding of how immersive media can move communication beyond conventional screens.
The visit to VARCoE therefore provided the MAJMC cohort with practical insight into the growing role of AR and VR in communication, training, storytelling and other professional fields.
