Immersive VR at Coleg Gwent's High Value Engineering Campus.
How iXRLabs' immersive engineering content - running on HTC VIVE - became part of the UK college sector's only High Value Engineering Campus (HiVE), equipping learners for the industries of the future.
At a glance
iXRLabs immersive engineering content deployed on HTC VIVE headsets
Part of the UK college sector's only facility of its kind
UK & Welsh Government funding behind the 21,808 sq ft campus
Equips learners for robotics, aerospace, motorsport & advanced manufacturing
Overview
Immersive learning in a flagship engineering campus.
iXRLabs immersive engineering content was deployed at Coleg Gwent's High Value Engineering Campus (HiVE) in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent - running on HTC VIVE headsets as part of the campus's AR/VR and advanced manufacturing offering. Opened in September 2025, HiVE is the only facility of its kind in the UK college sector, giving learners hands-on access to the industries of the future, and iXRLabs' immersive modules form part of its digital toolkit.
The challenge
Equipping learners for the industries of the future.
HiVE was created to give learners hands-on access to the industries of the future - robotics and automation, aerospace, motorsport and autonomous vehicles, and advanced manufacturing. But even a state-of-the-art campus can't physically house every system, process, or piece of equipment learners need to understand, and much of it is expensive or hazardous to operate. Immersive VR was part of HiVE's vision from the outset - a way to let learners explore advanced engineering safely, repeatably, and at scale.
The solution
iXRLabs content on HTC VIVE.
As part of HiVE's AR/VR and advanced manufacturing offering, iXRLabs immersive engineering content was deployed on HTC VIVE headsets. Learners step into and interact with engineering systems and equipment - exploring how things work, practising hands-on, and repeating as often as they need - complementing the campus's physical robotics and advanced-manufacturing technology with immersive, virtual practice.
The partner
About Coleg Gwent & HiVE.
Coleg Gwent is Wales' largest further education college, serving learners across five main campuses in South East Wales - Crosskeys, Newport, Torfaen, Ebbw Vale, and Usk. Its newest, the High Value Engineering Campus (HiVE), is a 21,808-square-foot facility in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, built on the former Monwel Hankinson factory site and opened in September 2025. Backed by £10.8 million from the UK Government (£9.3m Levelling Up Funding and £1.5m Shared Prosperity Funding) and £4.8 million from the Welsh Government's Tech Valleys programme, HiVE is the only facility of its kind in the UK college sector - delivering high-tech training in robotics, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and IT for young people and businesses across the country.
In the news
HiVE's opening was celebrated publicly by Coleg Gwent and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council - "buzzing with excitement over HiVE" - developed with support from the Welsh Government, the UK Government, and the Tech Valleys programme.
Impact
What the deployment delivered.
Immersive learning in a flagship facility
iXRLabs content forms part of the UK college sector's only campus of its kind.
Hands-on with the industries of the future
Robotics, aerospace, motorsport, and advanced manufacturing.
Safe, repeatable practice
Learners explore advanced and otherwise-inaccessible systems virtually, on HTC VIVE.
Complements physical technology
Immersive VR alongside the campus's robotics and advanced-manufacturing equipment.
Why it matters
Blending real and virtual hands-on learning.
HiVE represents a bet on immersive, hands-on skills as the foundation of the industries of the future. By including iXRLabs content among its digital tools, the campus gives learners a way to explore advanced engineering that physical equipment alone can't provide - safely, repeatably, and at scale. It is a model for how flagship technical-education facilities can blend real and virtual hands-on learning.
About iXRLabs
Immersive VR/XR labs for education.
iXRLabs is an AI-powered VR/XR lab platform for higher and technical education, delivering immersive, hands-on lab modules across Engineering, Medical, Sciences, and Nursing. The platform helps colleges and universities teach systems and equipment that are hard to access, afford, or scale in a physical lab - improving understanding, engagement, and retention, while giving learners safe, repeatable, self-paced practice on hardware such as HTC VIVE.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
What did iXRLabs deploy at Coleg Gwent's HiVE campus?
What is HiVE?
What hardware does the iXRLabs content run on at HiVE?
Which fields does HiVE focus on?
Can iXRLabs XR labs support disciplines beyond engineering?
How can a college get started with iXRLabs immersive content?
Bring immersive VR to your college.
Start with a focused deployment mapped to your programmes and hardware - the way Coleg Gwent did at HiVE on HTC VIVE - then expand across subjects and facilities.