Jointly hosted by City’s School of Science & Technology, School of Health & Psychological Sciences, St George’s, University of London and our Student’s Union.
By Mr Shamim Quadir (Senior Communications Officer), Published
On Thursday 4 April, a novel, virtual reality (VR) wellbeing fair was launched by the School of Science & Technology and School of Health & Psychological Sciences, City, University of London, St George’s, University of London and te City Students' Union.
Hosted in the Pavilion at City, the VR Wellbeing Fair launch began a series of weekly events, every Wednesday, until the end of April 2024.
Each event consists of bookable sessions to immerse oneself in bespoke VR wellbeing content, which offers positive mental health support for staff and students in the run up to the exam period or otherwise (e.g. workload related stress). Delivered with content provided by Phase Space, the VR Wellbeing Fair provides attendees with an opportunity to explore novel ways of reducing stress and anxiety.
About Phase Space
Phase Space uses virtual reality (VR) to relieve stress and anxiety in minutes, with long lasting effects. Their cutting-edge immersive technology and content design is combined with proven therapeutic techniques aimed at supercharging anxiety reduction while also building resilience, coping skills and motivation.
Professor Debra Salmon, Executive Dean, School of Health & Psychological Sciences, and the University Mental Health Champion, welcomed attendees to the launch event. She said in part:
Professor Rajkumar Roy, Executive Dean of the School of Science & Technology who co-organised the VR Wellbeing Fair shared:
The latest research
Announced on Wednesday 10 April, preliminary findings from research into the VR Wellbeing experience (led by St. George's and co-produced with Phase Space), suggests that students who experienced the wellbeing content using VR, as opposed to viewing it on their mobile phones, reported greater improvements in how calm, stressed and anxious they felt.
Read the article about the findings, in Times Higher Education:
Virtual reality-boosted treatments ‘reduce student exam stress’.
Book a VR Wellbeing session
Wednesday 17 April
Sessions are still available for student and staff to book between 11am and 1.30pm in CLG01 in the AR/VR Learning Centre, Tait Building, City, University of London.
Sessions are also available to staff to book as part of City Organisational Development's wider Wellbeing@City Fair between 2.45pm and 4pm in room AG06 in the College Building, City, University of London.
Wednesday 24 April
Sessions are still available for students and staff to book between 11am and 1.30pm in CLG01 in the AR/VR Learning Centre, Tait Building, City, University of London.