Erasmus+ Students Explored Cappadocia Both Virtually and Physically
📅 May 12–15, 2025 | Çağ University – Cappadocia
As part of the Blended Intensive Program (BIP) hosted by Çağ University from May 12 to 15, 2025, Erasmus+ students had the unique opportunity to discover
Cappadocia through both virtual and physical experiences. The first phase of the program involved a virtual tour and digital exploration of the region. In the second phase, participants traveled to Cappadocia to experience its historical and cultural heritage firsthand. This hybrid format served as a strong example of how digital learning and face-to-face education can be successfully integrated.
🎓 Academic and Thematic Framework of the Program
Throughout the BIP, students engaged in a series of multidisciplinary learning sessions. Key topics included:
🌐 Virtual Identity
🌍 Climate Change and Its Effects
🛡️ Security Challenges of the Climate Crisis
♻️ United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)
🧠 Interdisciplinary and Circular Pedagogy
🕶️ Education in the Metaverse
In addition to academic content, students had the chance to strengthen their critical thinking, intercultural communication, and digital literacy skills—key
competencies in 21st-century learning.
🎓 Educator Team and Experiential Learning Approach
All learning sessions were led by the experienced academic staff of Çağ University.
📌 In particular, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Gülmez, who has over 20 years of experience in immersive learning and technology-enhanced education, played a leading role
in shaping the academic structure of the program.
Dr. Duygu Gür and Dr. Cansu Ünver Erbaş also contributed significantly to the delivery of the program’s content.
🕶️ Experiential Learning Through Virtual Reality
One of the highlights of the BIP was the Virtual Reality (VR) session, where students directly interacted with digital technologies, experiencing the power of
interactive learning environments.
👨🏫 This session featured notable international participants, including Dr. Jon-Hans Coetzer from UNITAR, John O’Connor and Lucia Moralas from the Technological University of Dublin, Lia Pop and Ivaylo Peev from Romania, and James Neville from the United States.
Together with students, these experts engaged in virtual environments, fostering a truly multinational and interdisciplinary learning space.
🎥 The excitement and engagement observed throughout the session clearly reflected the transformative potential of integrating technology into education.
🌟 A Window to the Future
The BIP program was designed not only to deliver knowledge but also to encourage students to think, discuss, and create. Education is no longer limited to physical classrooms — it is now multi-dimensional, interactive, and global.
📣 At Çağ University, we are proud to support student-centered, innovative, and sustainable learning environments through international collaborations that shape the future of education.