EU-Funded CATCH_VR Progress Meeting Advancing AR/VR Education with Pakistani Universities at TUS, Bulgaria

Four Pakistani universities MUET, GIKI, QUEST, UETP being the partner in the project, participated in the four-day EU-funded Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) CATCH_VR project progress meeting hosted by the Technical University of Sofia (TUS), Bulgaria, commenced with a warm welcome by Prof. Dr. Eng. Agata Manolova, Dean of the Faculty of Telecommunications and Principal Coordinator of the CATCH_VR project at TUS. The opening remarks were followed by an address from Dr. Eng. Lidiya Galabova, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Integration at TUS. Prof. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry (MUET), Project Coordinator, thanked TUS for hosting the event and emphasized the importance of the “Capacity Building in TeaCHing of AR/VR (CATCH_VR)” project. The initiative focuses on enhancing higher education institutions’ capacity in engineering education by integrating Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) using digital twins. It brings together a consortium of European and Pakistani educational institutions, utilizing participatory learning, hands-on experiences, and practical demonstrations with cutting-edge equipment and digital twins to provide immersive educational opportunities.
The meeting reviewed key updates from various project committees, including Project Management, Curriculum Development, Lab Development, the establishment of a Center of Excellence in Digital Twin Technology, Quality Assurance, Data Protection, Risk Management, Capacity Building, and Dissemination Strategies. Prof. Dr. Agata Manolova (TUS) and Dr. Ali Turab Jafery (GIKI) delivered a comprehensive presentation outlining:
A high-level overview of curriculum development, including needs assessment and analysis.
Insights into current curriculum strengths and weaknesses and identified learning gaps.
Consideration of industry trends, student needs, and global educational standards.
Develop innovative curriculum designs that emphasize accessibility and diverse learning styles.
Strategies for incorporating formative and summative assessments alongside innovative instructional methodologies.
Prof. Dr. Pardeep Kumar (QUEST) provided a detailed update on laboratory infrastructure development, emphasizing the integration of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Prof. Dr. Tahir Khan (UETP) presented progress on establishing the Center of Excellence, highlighting its pivotal role in advancing research and applications of digital twin technologies. Prof. Dr. Radu Terca (UO) outlined measures for ensuring project quality, data security, and effective risk mitigation strategies. Dr. Lubna Luxmi Dhirani (UL) shared a roadmap for capacity-building initiatives, focusing on training programs to enhance institutional and faculty competencies. Muhammad Zakir Sheikh (MUET) detailed upcoming dissemination plans, including potential topics, formats, and timelines for future outreach activities. Dr. Abi Waqas (UCC) led discussions on effective financial management strategies for the project.
The meeting also included laboratory visits to showcase the integration of AR/VR and digital twin technologies in action. These visits gave participants a hands-on perspective of the project’s practical applications. Associated partners Rastek Technologies and Engineering Review also participated online.
Prof. Dr. Aneel Kumar, Pro Vice-Chancellor of MUET, expressed his appreciation to TUS for its hospitality and for facilitating productive discussions on future collaborations. Prof. Dr. Ivan Kralov, Rector of the Technical University of Sofia, concluded the event by reaffirming TUS’s commitment to supporting future partnerships and proposed bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) among consortium members. The meeting marked a significant step forward in realizing the CATCH_VR project’s objectives, strengthening collaboration across international institutions to advance sustainable and innovative engineering education.n