On 14th May, the OPENVERSE consortium had its General Assembly in Pisa, Italy. The purpose of this in-person meeting was to facilitate dialogue, decision-making, and coordination among consortium partners of the OPENVERSE project.
The first part of the meeting was dedicated to providing comprehensive status updates and discussing the workflow within the project. Each partner had the opportunity to present their progress, highlighting milestones achieved and challenges encountered. These discussions allowed a clear understanding of the project’s overall status and enabling effective coordination.
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to exploring co-creative approaches for developing the foundational framework for virtual worlds, as well as planning upcoming events and workshops. All consortium members engaged in discussions and interactive sessions to gather diverse perspectives and insights on designing accessible and human-centric virtual environments.
Additionally, the meeting focused on strategic planning for upcoming events and workshops aimed at fostering community engagement and knowledge dissemination. Participants collaboratively outlined the objectives, formats, and logistics for these gatherings, ensuring alignment with the project’s goals and milestones.
Discussions during the meeting also centred around workshops focused on the analytical dimension surrounding Virtual Worlds, as well as general approaches to establishing an observatory and define taxonomy for the OPENVERSE. To understand the development of the Virtual Worlds’ ecosystem, the partners agreed that this task requires a lot of collaborative work with different experts dedicated to addressing various facets such as accessibility, engagement & co-creation, ethical and social impacts.
OPENVERSE has started in November 2023 and is a three-year Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action. Its partners represent research institutions, technological enterprises, and innovative organisations from across Europe. Each brings their distinct expertise to this collaborative venture, ensuring its success and influence in shaping the future of the Virtual Worlds.