University of Franche-Comté (France) Archives | STARS EU

Learning Through Creation: International Students Explore VR and AR in Kraków

Adam Sadlo — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:20:14 +0000

Learning Through Creation: International Students Explore VR and AR in Kraków

June 24, 2026

The first edition of the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) Game Development with VR/AR has successfully concluded at Cracow University of Technology, bringing together students and academics from across Europe under the STARS EU Alliance.

The programme combined several weeks of online learning with an intensive on-site week in Kraków, creating a unique international environment where technology, creativity, and intercultural collaboration met in practice.

Opening the on-site week, programme coordinator Adrian Widłak highlighted the spirit of the initiative:

“We are meeting here as part of the Alliance STARS EU, bringing together Poland, France, Germany, and our guests from Slovenia. What I love about this initiative is that it’s not just about mobility. It’s about mixing realities.”

The programme began with an online phase running from 24 March to 26 May 2026. During this period, participants developed skills in C# programming, 3D modelling, Unity game development, and immersive VR and AR technologies.

The international group then gathered in Kraków from 15 to 19 June for the on-site component. Throughout the week, students transformed theoretical knowledge into practical solutions by working in multinational teams on a common challenge.

Their task was to design and develop an augmented reality experience capable of transforming a traditional computer laboratory into an interactive educational escape room. Using tablets, AR tools, and game design principles, participants created missions, puzzles, and story-driven scenarios that blended digital content with physical space.

The resulting projects demonstrated how augmented reality can enhance learning environments, increase engagement, and create new forms of educational interaction.

One of the key objectives of the programme was to strengthen students’ ability to work in international and interdisciplinary teams. Beyond technical development, participants gained valuable experience in communication, problem-solving, project management, and intercultural cooperation.

Academic staff from partner institutions provided expert guidance throughout the programme. Participants were supported by Frédéric Lassabe (France), Volker Paelke (Germany), and Krzysztof Skabek from the Computer Graphics and High Performance Computing Research Group at Cracow University of Technology. Practical workshops and project sessions were led by Adrian Widłak, Gloria Kuliś, and Wojciech Malik.

Their diverse academic and research perspectives enabled students to explore VR and AR technologies from multiple viewpoints and application areas.

The programme also offered participants the opportunity to experience the cultural heritage of southern Poland.

Students visited the Wieliczka Salt Mine and explored Kraków’s historic city centre, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. These visits provided valuable opportunities for networking, cultural exchange, and discovering one of Central Europe’s most historic regions.

The successful delivery of the programme was supported by members of Visgraph, the student scientific association operating under the supervision of Michał Dolina and Jakub Dec. Visgraph students contributed to event organisation, participant support, media coverage, photography, audiovisual production, and promotional activities. Their involvement played an important role in creating a welcoming and professional environment for all participants.

The Game Development with VR/AR programme demonstrated how modern higher education can move beyond traditional teaching models. Rather than passively receiving information, students learned by designing, building, testing, and refining their own ideas. By combining emerging technologies, project-based learning, and international collaboration, the programme provided participants with valuable technical competencies, practical experience, and professional connections that will continue to benefit them long after the programme’s conclusion.

As a STARS EU initiative, the programme also showcased the Alliance’s commitment to creating innovative educational opportunities that prepare students to work and collaborate in an increasingly digital and interconnected Europe.

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BIP on Pedagogical Innovation Brought International Educators to Besançon

Barbora Hamplova — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:48:52 +0000

BIP on Pedagogical Innovation Brought International Educators to Besançon

June 22, 2026

Academic staff, researchers, doctoral, and master’s students from across Europe and beyond gathered in Besançon, France, from 15 to 19 June 2026 for the 2^nd edition of the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on Pedagogical Innovation, this year hosted by the Marie and Louis Pasteur University (UMLP), Faculty of Law, Political Sciences, Economics and Management (UFR SJEPG) in France.

The BIP combined an online phase, consisting of three international seminars in May and June, with a week-long in-person programme in Besançon. Participants represented STARS EU partner universities from Poland, Czechia, Spain, France, Sweden, Germany, Albania, the Netherlands, and Portugal, along with hosts from Morocco and Algeria.

Rethink learning

The in-person sessions focused on topics such as active and social learning, learning design, diversity, and anti-discrimination awareness. Particularly inspiring were workshops on Wild Pedagogies, which encouraged educators to rethink learning beyond traditional classroom settings, as well as sessions dedicated to creating more inclusive and engaging learning environments.

Considerable attention was devoted to the growing impact of artificial intelligence in higher education. Participants discussed the technical foundations of AI and its pedagogical applications, reflecting on how these technologies can support teaching, assessment, and student engagement while also raising important ethical and practical questions.

The week concluded with a session on Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), during which participants were challenged to design their own COIL and explored how virtual international collaboration can connect students and educators across borders, creating meaningful intercultural learning experiences beyond traditional mobility schemes. It also highlighted new opportunities for cooperation among STARS EU institutions and their international partners.

Profesional relationships

Beyond the academic sessions, participants enjoyed a range of networking and cultural activities, including a campus tour and a visit to the historic Citadelle of Besançon. These shared experiences provided valuable opportunities for building new professional relationships and strengthening connections among colleagues from different countries and institutions.

The BIP highlighted the importance of international collaboration in higher education, offering participants fresh perspectives, practical inspiration, and opportunities for future cooperation. Building on the success of this edition, the next Blended Intensive Programme on Pedagogical Innovation will be hosted by the Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), Portugal, where educators from across the alliance will continue sharing innovative practices and developing new collaborative initiatives.

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Classroom Lab

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:26:35 +0000

Classroom Lab

Scientific Area: Social Science.

EXPR: Education, general; including training, pedagogy, didactics.

Name of the service: Classroom Lab.

Main responsible: Branka RUPIC, design engineer, instructional designer.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic teaching and learning, educational research: school leaders, teachers, teacher educators and researchers.

Scientific refence:

The Lab Class offers opportunities to investigate and evaluate the collaborative nature of learning through research programs conducted in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté laboratories. The Lab Class is also meant to foster the professional development of teachers and trainers thanks to the audiovisual equipment that promotes reflexive analysis of professional practices. It is part of two european networks , the Future Classroom Lab (primary and secondary education) and the Learning Lab Network (higher education). It is also an inspirational learning environment for the regional network of Open Labs.

Offer description:

Located in the Higher Institute for Teaching and Education in Besançon, the platform has a surface area of 117m2, divided into three spaces : the classroom area, the audiovisual control room, and a collaborative workspace. The classroom area and the collaborative workspace were designed as Active Learning Spaces (Temple, 2008). They are equipped with mobile furniture, touchscreens, beam telepresence robot, Ipads, charging and management cart, green screen, video cameras, microphones, audio and video control systems/area. The spatial and digital configuration of the Lab Class, which is user-friendly and quickly adptable, promotes engagement, production, creativity, and interactions within a classroom group. Teachers and trainers benefit from pedagogigal support to foster active learning in collaboration. The observation lab or control room, dedicated to reflective analysis, strenghtens the links between research and training.

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

“This service is part of a much larger catalogue that we have at your disposal. If you would like to make an enquiry about this particular service, or any related service, please fill in the contact form on our website“.

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Time and Frequency Platform

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:23:23 +0000

Time and Frequency Platform

Scientific Area: Engineering and Technology.

EXPR: Ultra-high precision Metrology in Time & Frequency.

Name of the service: Time and Frequency Platform.

Main responsible: Enrico Rubiola, full professor, facility director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic research, laboratories of metrology (including primary labs), and industrial R&D.

Scientific refence:

The Time and Frequency platform is a merge of Oscillator IMP and LNE-LTFB. The former is a research facility originally funded by the ANR PIA, is dedicated to the measurement of noise, fluctuations, and short-term stability of oscillators and related components/devices in the entire radio spectrum, including microwave photonics. The latter is a platform dedicated to the measurement of frequency, frequency fluctuations and phase noise under ISO 17025 and COFRAC accreditation, officially designated by the LNE for the measurements, and to represent France at BIPM and other international contexts. We maintain a copy of UTC(OP), the official French time scale.

Offer description:

In our scope, we provide (i) measurements, consulting, and loan of equipment for research and R&D, and (ii) measurements and certification under the highest French accreditation. Our equipment and services are accessible via (i) FEMTO Engineering and (ii) LNE-LTFB, while the director should be contacted for research collaborations.

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

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SHERPA

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:17:28 +0000

SHERPA

Scientific Area: Arts & Humanities.

EXPR: Archaeology-General language studies–Arts, Art history-Cognition & behavioral studies.

Name of the service: SHERPA.

Main responsible: Valérie Pichon, research engineer, SHERPA facility manager.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic research, industrial R&D projects.

Scientific refence:

The SHERPA platform supports the programmes developed by the MSHE Ledoux (UAR3124, FED 4209) and the research projects of its 16 federated laboratories in Franche-Comté. SHERPA’s aim is to encourage the pooling of scientific equipment and digital services needed to structure joint actions between teams in the human, social and environmental sciences, to enable researchers to acquire, process and analyse data in the best possible conditions, and to contribute to the development of new methods within an interdisciplinary framework. SHERPA brings together specialist skills and equipment. In practical terms, this means – Providing specific, shared instrumentation for research in the Humanities in the broadest sense (Social Sciences, Art and Humanities), combined with engineering skills. – Research training through research – Methodological development thanks to high-level engineering skills. SHERPA relies on an IT infrastructure that provides the scientific community with significant computing and storage capacity, and hosts several databases: Paleofire Sidarta, PGISData, Fanum, ORTEP Revitalisation, etc. SHERPA also supports its federated research units in the open science approach and in each step of the information lifecycle management (from data acquisition to dissemination and valorisation). It is supported by three instrumental facilities and their engineering skills. Sherpa has been accredited as a uFC technology platform since 2020, and relies on 3 instrumental units: GeoBFC (CNRS accredited since 2012, RnMSH Spatio accredited); NuAnces (RnMSH Scripto accredited); ESCCo (RnMSH Cogito accredited). Finally, SHERPA contributes to many research networks at a regional and national scale: MASA+ (archaeology), Consortium 3D-SHS (3D data applied to human and social sciences), Dat@UBFC (open data in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), Drone & Cap (UAV and sensors), Cahier (corpus for digital humanities), CORLI (languages and interactions), etc.

Offer description:

SHERPA services are available to UFC/UBFC master’s students, doctoral students, engineers, researchers and teacher-researchers contributing to research actions hosted by MSHE, and also to people from partner research institutes. In addition to the activities handled by the 3 instrumental units and described below, SHERPA provides a wide range of training courses aimed at students and researchers. GeoBFC (Geomatics in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region) is jointly developed by the MSHE Ledoux and the MSH Dijon. GeoBFC-Besançon provides its users with equipment and skills covering the entire spatial information processing chain (2D and 3D), from the acquisition of data in the field, through the hosting and provision of data on its Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), to the processing and analysis of the results obtained. It also contributes to the development of methodological protocols, tools and applications. NuAnCES (Numérisation et Analyse de Corpus pour la rEcherche Scientifique) is dedicated to the 2D digitisation, preservation, provision and exploitation (particularly statistical) of textual corpora and multimedia archives. NuAnCES offers methodological support to scientists from different fields and disciplines (linguistics, literature, discourse analysis, history, geography, information-communication, performing arts, sociology, philosophy) and makes its equipment, software solutions, storage and workspaces available to them. The aim of ESCCo (Expérimentations pour les Sciences du Comportement et de la Cognition) is to enable researchers to identify and understand the processes and mechanisms underlying behaviour by collecting a wide variety of behavioural and psychophysiological responses. To do so it provides workspaces for experimentation as well as fine measurement tools (eye trackers, electroencephalograms, etc.).

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

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FCLAB

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:13:13 +0000

FCLAB

Scientific Area: Engineering and Technology.

EXPR: Fuel cell systems, hydrogen energy systems.

Name of the service: FCLAB.

Main responsible: David Bouquain, full professor, facility deputy director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic research, industrial R&D projects.

Scientific refence:

FCLAB is a technical and scientific resource center dedicated to Hydrogen Energy systems with more than 25 years of experience in the field. It is supported by CNRS, the University of Franche-Comté (UFC), the University of Technology of Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM) and the Université Fédérale Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC). It federates the activities of more than 150 researchers and engineers, through our network of partner laboratories (FEMTO-ST Institute, ICB, LEMTA, AMPERE, SATIE, Univ. Gustave Eiffel). Located on the Hydrogen Energy Plateform in Befort, it has a total space of around 2300 m², of which 800 m² are decated to experimental rooms.

Offer description:

The service offer covers engineering and feasibility studies for projects and prototypes, testing of hydrogen systems up to 150kW, taking into account environmental constraints in a controlled atmosphere (temperature and humidity) and vibration. It offers as well education programs customized for our clients. The research activities are carried by the partner laboratories, FCLAB ensuring the animation of the research transversal projects.

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

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CLIPP (Proteomic Facility)

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:07:07 +0000

CLIPP (Proteomic Facility)

Scientific Area: Medical and Health Sciences.

EXPR: Nano-technology for proteom investigations (biological cells analysys, extra-cellular vesicules, etc.).

Name of the service: CLIPP (Proteomic Facility).

Main responsible: Dr. Wilfrid Boireau, Senior CNRS researcher, CLIPP director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic research, industrial R&D projects.

Scientific refence:

The CLIPP platform offers its expertise in the fields of bioanalysis and nanobioscience with the aim of increasing the capacity for biophysical analysis of living organisms (from molecules, virus, extracellular vesicles to cells) for academic research units and pharmaceutical and biotechnology industrial R&D centres. CLIPP has a park of biophysical instruments for multiscales and multiplexed bioanalytics. It contributes to the development of technological tools and innovative analytical solutions mainly dedicated to the study of biomolecular interactions, nanobiocaracterisation and the tracking of biological targets in complex environments. CLIPP collaborates with partners for the development of analytical solutions for multi-omics (proteomic, transcriptomic…)

Offer description:

– Bioanalysis and nano-biocharacterisation services

– Methodological and/or instrumental co-development projects based on the development of new analytical approaches

– On-site training and hosting of personnel to carry out a complete project or a one-time analytical study.

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

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Exercice Performance Santé innovation (EPSI) / Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), uFC

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:00:42 +0000

Exercice Performance Santé innovation (EPSI) / Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), uFC

Scientific Area: Medical and Health Sciences.

EXPR: In vivo integrated physiological / physiopathological (cardiovascular | respiratory | neuromuscular | biomechanical ) evaluations : echodoppler, cell force ; ergometry (treadmill/cycle-ergometer/rower/…) ; simulation of environmental conditions (heat/cold/hypoxia/water immersion…)

Name of the service: Exercice Performance Santé innovation (EPSI) / Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), uFC.

Main responsible: Laurent Mourot, Full Professor, EPSI Director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic research, industrial R&D projects.

Scientific refence:

The EPSI platform is a technical and scientific platform dedicated to human experimentation and technological innovation in the field of Health and sports performance. It has an approval of biomedical research site given by the Regional Health Agency. This certifies that the conditions of reception of the participants or the security of the data and the people have been validated and that projects concerning healthy and pathological human beings can be carried out in a suitable environment. EPSI has for this a lot of equipment allowing varied investigations. Most of the equipment is transportable, which also allows studies to be carried out in partner structures or in the field.

Offer description:

The three missions of EPSI are

1) a scientific mission (technical and scientific assistance to university and hospital-university research for any biomedical research activity that may concern healthy or patient, equipment for sports or medical use as well as the interface between humans and this equipment)

2) an educational mission (technical and scientific assistance to the training of students engaged in studies at the UFR STAPS, the UFR SANTE, the biomedical engineering school of the Université of Franche-Comté)

3) a service delivery mission aimed at any structure (research laboratories, companies, associations, etc.) or person who would request its use. Services from ethical/administrative procedures linked to research involving human beings (except drug testing) to performing clinical trial in laboratory and field conditions.

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

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Technological platform for studying ancient and contemporary environments, PEA²t, uFC

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 09:54:55 +0000

Technological platform for studying ancient and contemporary environments, PEA²t, uFC

Scientific Area: Natural Science.

EXPR: Environmental and geological engineering, geotechnics-Bioremediation, diagnostic biotechnologies (DNA chips and biosensing devices) in environmental management.

Name of the service: Technological platform for studying ancient and contemporary environments, PEA²t, uFC.

Main responsible: Nadia Crini, research engineer, PEA²t director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic research, industrial R&D projects.

Scientific refence:

PEA²t is an infrastructure designed to respond to environmental sciences. It offers a range of services from tools for collecting environmental samples, to analytical equipments for gathering physical, chemical and biological information, to tools for referencing, storing and preserving collected samples, and modeling. Recognized for its expertise in research, training, innovation and value enhancement, PEA²t boasts 22 research staff and high technology equipments worth 2.5 million euros. It is supported by regional, national and European resources and industrial funding.

Offer description:

PEA²t is an open academic technology platform supported by Chrono-environment laboratory, in the field of environmental sciences. Its six main areas of expertise are: 1- In situ monitoring and experimentation under controlled conditions: in situ instrumentation and biomonitoring for long-term monitoring of natural environments within the framework of national monitoring services and workshop zones; culture and breeding devices in climatic enclosures. 2- Paleoenvironmental analysis: paleoenvironmental and paleoecological reconstructions based on natural and anthropogenic archives. 3- Chemical characterization of complex environmental matrices: qualitative and quantitative identification of organic and inorganic compounds in multiple environmental matrices. 4- Physical characterization of geo-materials: petrophysical and geophysical measurements from deep crust to critical zone. 5- Isolation and characterization of environmental DNA: use of molecular biology techniques such as quantitative PCR and metagenomics to analyze DNA from environmental samples. 6- Quantum chemistry, numerical simulation and radiation: Quantum chemistry and numerical simulation tools in fields as varied as radiation therapy, radiation/matter interaction and oxidation-reduction mechanisms in biological media. It can host any academic or industrial research or development project subcontracted to its own staff, or to staff recruited on contract after training, or to doctoral or post-doctoral students.

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

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MIMENTO – uFC

STARS EU — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 09:43:39 +0000

MIMENTO – uFC

Scientific Area: Engineering and Technology.

EXPR: Mask design, etching, material growth (PVD, CVD, LPCVD, etc.), high resolution characterization (e-beam, ion beam), etc. MEMS & MOEMS silicon devices, LiNbO3 devices, photonic / acoustic / fluidic integrated circuits

Name of the service: MIMENTO – uFC.

Main responsible: Dr. Thomas Baron, Research Engineer, MIMENTO director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Academic research, industrial R&D projects.

Scientific refence:

MIMENTO (MIcrofabrication for MEcanics, Nanosciences, Thermal and Optics)technology center is identified as a reference centre for Micro-nano-optics, Micro-nano-acoustics, Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) and Micro-Robotics in the context of the “RENATECH” network (French national network for large facilities involved in technological research in the field of micro and nanotechnology). The French RENATECH network is a partnership between 5 academic technology centers, LTM (Grenoble), C2N (Orsay / Marcoussis), IEMN (Lille), LAAS (Toulouse), FEMTO-ST (Besançon)) and also CEA – LETI (Grenoble). The purpose of RENATECH is to support French research in micro-nano-technologies by providing access to fabrication facilities and experts. Located on the TEMIS Technopole in Besançon, it has a total space of around 1300 m², of which 865 m² are ISO 5 to 7 classrooms. It is run by a technical team of 17 engineers and technicians whose role is to support research projects in the central (internal or external projects). It has a high-tech equipment park open to both academic and industrial partners in research collaborations. This technology centre has hosted numerous European (ERDF), national fundings and regional supports.

Offer description:

MIMENTO is an open academic technology facility operated by the FEMTO-ST research institute, in the area of micro-nano-fabrication technologies for the design of various integrated devies and systems (e.g. MEMS and MOEMS, photonic chips, acoustic filters, micro-fluidic chips, integrated sensors for gas, forces, pressure, etc.). It belongs to a national (RENATECH) and even EU network (EuroNanoLab) in micro-nano-fabrication technologies, thus having access to a broad range of micro-nano-technologies from the whole network beyond its own equipments and know-how. It can host any academic or industrial Research or Development project in micro-nano-fabrication (fully subcontracting through MIMENTO staff, or through the staff of FC’INNOV foundation and its FEMTO Engineering R&D center; or it can act as a partner, renting facilities, training users among which are many PhD students from FEMTO-ST or partner research institutions).

Contact Form

[contact-form-7]

Catalogue of Services

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