CONNEC2 STRENGTHENS OASIS

Amsterdam, July 10, 2024 – Six leading vocational schools and 22 Dutch media, game, and entertainment companies are launching the national consortium OASIS today, supported by a grant from the Regional Investment Fund for Vocational Education (RIF). OASIS is the largest national collaboration focused on training Dutch specialists in immersive technology. The launch of OASIS took place on July 9th at Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam.

By 2030, up to 23 million jobs are expected to be impacted by immersive technology such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) (PwC). These technologies provide innovative solutions for sectors such as healthcare, urban planning, and education, driving the demand for specialists in these fields.

OASIS, which stands for Organised Advancement of Specialists in Immersive Solutions, addresses this by bringing together education and industry to jointly train immersive specialists. One of their initiatives is the development of vocational education programs at the MBO-4 level in the field of immersive design.

Future-proof labor market and economy

OASIS represents the largest Dutch collaboration in the field of immersive technology, with partners committing to an agreement for at least four years. Participants include Banijay Benelux, ITV Studios, Fremantle, EMG, NEP, and NPO Innovation.

Rufus Baas, Program Director of OASIS, says: “By driving these developments, we ensure that the Netherlands remains a key player on the global stage. We are therefore very proud of this national collaboration, with fantastic partners who actively support this initiative.”

Edwin van der Veen, COO at ITV Studios Netherlands, an OASIS partner, says about the collaboration: “We believe the future of television lies in immersive technology. By training talent in these techniques, we can continue to efficiently produce high-quality content and ensure that the Netherlands remains at the forefront of the television industry. This development is a crucial step towards a future where the Dutch television industry can continue to grow and innovate.”

Partner of CIIIC, supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW).

The official launch of OASIS on July 9th took place during a meeting of the CIIIC (Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition), with which OASIS closely collaborates. CIIIC is a National Growth Fund program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science aimed at enhancing the adoption and impact of immersive technology in the Netherlands. OASIS is supported by the Regional Investment Fund for Vocational Education (RIF) and has received a grant of 2.4 million euros.

Future Projects and Initiatives

In the coming years, OASIS will focus on developing the following initiatives:

• An Innovation Board: a group of experts from industry, education, and government providing strategic guidance to promote the adoption of immersive solutions.

• Immersive Design Education Program: vocational schools and companies will develop relevant and up-to-date curricula, where students will learn everything about creating and applying VR, AR, 3D modeling, UI/UX design, and storytelling.

• An Immersive Academy: a place for teachers, trainers, and professionals to update their knowledge through innovative projects, explore technologies, and integrate them into business processes.

• A Practoraat for Immersive Solutions: promotes applied research and innovation in immersive technology among educational institutions, businesses, and government entities.

• An Immersive Learning Community: a network for collaboration and knowledge exchange, supported by an online platform for virtual interaction.

About OASIS

OASIS (Organised Advancement of Specialists in Immersive Solutions) is a national consortium focused on training specialists in immersive technology. Immersive technology is an umbrella term for technologies that allow users to be ‘immersed’ in an interactive, lifelike virtual experience.

OASIS unites six leading technical-creative vocational schools and 22 prominent companies from the media, game, and entertainment industries. It is the largest national collaboration in the Netherlands in the field of immersive technology, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).

The six vocational schools partnering with OASIS are: Mediacollege Amsterdam, Grafisch Lyceum Utrecht, Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam, SintLucas, Cibap, and Nimeto.
OASIS collaborates with the following industry partners: Media Campus NL, Beeld en Geluid, Redrum Bureau, CoVince, 360Fabriek, DA-RE Health Innovation, Fremantle Productions, AVROTROS, Banijay Benelux, ITV Studios Netherlands, Talpa, Emagine, Stichting Nederlandse Publieke Omroep, Weknow Studio, Connec2, Stichting Gamelab Oost, Nehem, Iron Films, NEP the Netherlands, EMG Nederland, Studio XNL, and Meta.

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