Project Sharing and Creative Exchange

On April 15, the focus of the WSA–CUC collaboration shifted to the student teams. The day was dedicated to project presentations, feedback sessions, and hands-on workshops, held in the XR Lab at the West Annex building on the CUC campus.

Six interdisciplinary student teams—three from Winchester School of Art and three from Communication University of China—shared the early stages of their collaborative projects. Each team is working on an inclusive design concept that draws on a mix of immersive technologies, storytelling methods, and user-centred thinking.

The CUC teams were present in person, while the WSA student teams joined remotely via video link. Despite the distance, the presentations ran smoothly, and the online collaboration remained active and engaged throughout.

In-Person Presentations and Remote Participation

The day began with short presentations from selected teams. Each group introduced their project idea, explained the goals and challenges, and outlined the tools and methods they were exploring. These ranged from interactive VR experiences to participatory design approaches addressing accessibility in virtual environments.

The presentations sparked a series of thoughtful conversations, with feedback offered by staff from both institutions, as well as peer-to-peer discussion between students. It was clear that the combination of different cultural and disciplinary perspectives was enriching the work—and encouraging new ways of thinking.

One-to-One Workshops and Mentoring

Following the presentations, students had the opportunity to work more closely with academic mentors during one-on-one sessions. These workshops allowed teams to refine their concepts, receive technical guidance, and ask practical questions about development, user interaction, and visual storytelling.

The atmosphere was collaborative and focused, with a strong sense of shared purpose. By the end of the day, most teams had taken significant steps forward in shaping their ideas and preparing for the next phases of development.