CIIIC Learning Communities bring together organisations from research and education (vocational education, universities of applied sciences, and research universities), businesses, and public organisations. By structurally connecting innovation, learning, and practice, these partnerships develop and test new learning and development models centred on immersive experiences. In doing so, they strengthen the knowledge and skills of professionals while accelerating and scaling the adoption of IX in practice.
The programme supports four-year consortium projects in which research institutions, educational organisations, businesses, and public organisations work together. Within these learning communities, relevant knowledge is translated into new learning solutions that are tested, evaluated, and further developed in real-world settings.
The call for proposals for the CIIIC Learning Communities opened on 7 May 2026 and has a submission deadline of 3 November 2026.
Six themes for the CIIIC Learning Communities
The central question within the Learning Communities is how societal and practice-based challenges can be translated into solutions for learning, working, and innovation. Researchers, educators, businesses, and public organisations work closely together to design, implement, and study new learning and development models, enabling successful approaches to be scaled up.
To support the development and strengthening of the Learning Communities, six thematic areas have been identified:
- Increasing knowledge and understanding of IX among professionals and potential new users of IX solutions across all fields where IX can be applied. What promising learning models can we develop to position IX as an alternative to more traditional forms of education and communication? In doing so, we increase both understanding and adoption of IX among professionals.
- Collaborative development across the entire IX value chain (covering the full IX development process, from initial concept to final application). What promising learning models can we develop to enable effective, application-oriented collaboration across the entire IX value chain—from design, onboarding, and user experience to market readiness?
- Translating real-world challenges into IX concepts. How can practical challenges be transformed into compelling IX concepts that allow people to truly experience the significance of these issues? What promising learning models can we develop, for example, to translate societal challenges such as climate change and healthcare into IX concepts? This could include converting scientific knowledge into responsible and impactful immersive experiences.
- Distribution and infrastructure. What promising learning models can we develop, implement, and study to improve the scalability and distribution of IX concepts?
- Reuse, further development, and scaling. What learning models can we develop to support the step-by-step development and broader reuse of IX concepts, from serious games to wider societal applications?
- Public and societal values. What learning models can we develop to help creators, researchers, and users design immersive experiences that are safe, responsible, and accessible to everyone?
Online consultation sessions
Do you have questions about the programme, or are you curious about how your idea or expertise could contribute to one of the six themes? Starting on Tuesday, 11 August, CIIIC will host a weekly online consultation session every Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with Marjolein Labruijere, Project Manager for Talent Development & Public Values.
These sessions provide an accessible opportunity to ask questions, discuss ideas, and explore which next steps best suit your plans.
Practical Information
- By appointment – Email marjolein@ciiic.nl and indicate your preferred date and time.
- Duration: Maximum 30 minutes
- Location: Online
The consultation sessions will continue until the submission deadline of 3 November 2026.