Competition

Competition Overview

After a successful 2025 competition, IEEE Metaverse and IEEE Young Professionals (YPs) are excited to host the 2026 IEEE Metaverse Grand Challenge for Simulation-Based Learning.

Participants will have the creative freedom to develop immersive simulations that model key processes and innovations in education. The challenge focuses on designing engaging, interactive simulations that can enhance the learning and training experience for YPs and students.

We are maintaining the same theme categories in 2026.

1) Healthcare Applications in Digital Learning

2) Sustainable Smart Cities and Urban Innovation

3) Advanced Learning in Educational or Classroom Environment.

Eligibility

All entrants must be:

• Students enrolled in an accredited university, or
• IEEE Young Professionals who graduated with their first professional degree within the past 15 years.

Teams may include a combination of students and Young Professionals.

Previous winners of the IEEE Metaverse Grand Challenge are eligible to participate, provided that their submissions are entirely new or substantially different from prior entries.

Contest opens 15 February 2026 and ends 15 August 2026

Optional: We encourage all those interested in participating to complete this form so that we may provide you with further updates.

Download official contest rules (PDF, 206 KB)

View last year’s winners and project summaries

Knowledge-Sharing Webinars

These knowledge webinars recorded in 2025 are valid for the 2026 IEEE Metaverse Grand Challenge. Please view these recordings to help you get started.

General Overview Webinar: Getting Started with Simulation Challenge 2025
Date: 31 May 2025 (Saturday)
Download presentation slides (PDF, 5 MB)
Watch on-demand at YouTube

Webinar 1: Immersive Innovation for Smart Cities / SusTech – From Virtual Labs to Sustainable Futures
Theme: Sustainable Smart Cities and Urban Innovation
Invited Speaker: Yesaswini Chilukuri, Senior Engineer, Sustainability Design, Khatib & Alami Engineering Consultants
Talk: Simulations as Catalysts for Sustainable Smart Cities
Date: 7 June 2025 (Saturday)
Watch on-demand at YouTube

Webinar 2: Designing Digital Healthcare Experiences – Simulation Concepts That Save Lives
Theme: Healthcare Applications in Digital Learning
Invited Speaker: May Dongmei Wang, Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University
Date: 8 June 2025 (Sunday)
Watch on-demand at YouTube

Webinar 3: Building the Future of Learning – Simulation Ideas for Smart Classrooms
Theme: Advanced Learning in Educational or Classroom Environment
Invited Speaker: Gustavo Giannattasio, IEEE FDC Board, IEEE TEMS Board, IEEE Smart Cities Board, AI Coalition, TCOES, IEC, N&A, Committees
Talk: Simulation Ideas for Smart Classrooms
Date: 8 June 2025 (Sunday)
Watch on-demand at YouTube

Objective

The challenge aims to foster simulation-driven learning experiences on 2D or 3D metaverse platforms, allowing users to interactively engage with concepts, processes, and problem-solving scenarios. Participants will design, simulate, and showcase emerging technology using real-time, AI-enhanced, and/or user-adaptive simulations. The goal is to create scalable, immersive, and globally accessible educational tools that transform learning.

Teams:

• Teams may consist of 1 to 5 members.
• Each participant may be part of only one team.
• Teams cannot change members after project submission.

Theme Categories

Participants must select one of the following themes to guide their simulation development:

1. Healthcare Applications in Digital Learning

• Simulating patient interactions, surgical procedures, and/or medical training in immersive environments.
• Exploring AI-driven diagnostics, wearable health tech, and/or virtual hospital management simulations.

2. Sustainable Smart Cities and Urban Innovation

• Highlighting sustainability principles through virtual laboratories and/or eco-friendly innovations.
• Demonstrating energy-efficient systems, recycling methodologies, and/or sustainability analytics in educational settings.
• Public safety infrastructure, including smart surveillance, emergency response systems, and/or disaster resilience planning.

3. Advanced Learning in Educational or Classroom Environment

• Simulating AI-driven personalization in education, including adaptive learning systems.
• Exploring smart classroom concepts, immersive collaboration spaces, and/or AI-powered instructional tools.
• Focusing on inclusive, accessible, and future-ready learning environments.

View inspiration to spark your ideas! (PDF, 92 KB)

Submission Format

1. PowerPoint Presentation (up to 5 slides):

• Clearly indicate the selected theme.
• Provide a brief implementation design overview.
• Highlight key technology elements that enhance education and learning experiences.

2. Video Recording (5-7 minutes, MP4 format):

• Showcase your project in an engaging format.
• Highlight elements that should be considered in the evaluation process.

Submission Deadline: 15 August 2026

Judging Criteria:

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

Prizes

First-Place Awards (Travel Grants): Up to two (2) winners will receive US$2,500 in travel expenses to attend the 2026 IEEE International Symposium on Emerging Metaverse (ISEMV).

Second-Place Awards: Up to two (2) winners will receive a premium backpack featuring the IEEE Metaverse and YP logos, along with a certificate of achievement.

*Awards will only be granted if suitable winners are identified.

Are you ready to shape the future of simulation-based learning? Join the challenge today! Download the official contest rules (PDF, 206 KB).

Competition Sponsors

Competition Chair: Polat Goktas, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Türkiye

For any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].