The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has earned international recognition after being selected as one of the winners of the 2025 Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance Awards. The award honours the Learning Analytics embedded Virtual Reality Classroom, known as LAViR, a short learning programme on microteaching created by the University’s Faculty of Education’s Centre for Advanced Learning Technologies in STEM (CALTSTEAM), under the leadership of Professor Umesh Ramnarain.
The announcement took place at the 2025 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference in Mexico City. This global gathering explored the theme Breaking Boundaries and Reshaping Futures: Open and Intelligent Global Education and was co-hosted by the National Autonomous University of Mexico and Tsinghua University in China. UJ was represented by Professor Sehaam Khan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic, Professor Suzy Graham, Senior Director for Academic Development and Support, and Professor Ramnarain.
LAViR attracted significant attention at the conference as an innovative model for educator development. It combines immersive virtual reality simulations with learning analytics to give trainee teachers immediate feedback and measurable insight into their teaching performance. The GMA recognised the programme for its ability to deepen engagement, strengthen teaching practice and offer scalable solutions for diverse educational environments.
Prof Ramnarain reflected on the significance of the award, saying, “This recognition belongs to the entire CALTSTEAM team. It reflects our collective effort to integrate immersive virtual reality and learning analytics into teacher education. The award affirms the talent and dedication of our team and highlights the value of LAViR as a tool that can transform how teachers learn and practise. LAViR shows the real potential of technology to expand access to high quality professional learning for educators everywhere.”
The University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, said the recognition reflects UJ’s growing leadership in digital innovation and its commitment to shaping the future of learning. He highlighted that the award speaks directly to the priorities of UJ’s Strategic Plan 2035, particularly the three pillars that guide the University’s directions, which are Technology for the Future, societal impact, and global excellence and stature.
Prof Mpedi explained that Technology for the Future focuses on integrating intelligent tools and digital innovation into teaching, learning and research. Societal impact ensures that such innovations directly address the needs and challenges of communities by improving access, equity and quality in education. The global pillar strengthens UJ’s international standing, ensuring that the University’s scholarship and innovations actively contribute to global conversations and shape emerging educational ecosystems. He added that LAViR’s success illustrates how these priorities come together to advance education in the intelligence era.
The conference also provided a platform to showcase UJDigital, the University’s flexible online learning ecosystem. UJDigital broadens access to high-quality learning opportunities and supports skills development across different disciplines and contexts. Together, LAViR and UJDigital highlight how UJ is integrating technological innovation with academic excellence to build responsive, future-ready learning environments.
Prof Mpedi concluded, “This award encourages us to strengthen our international partnerships and to continue developing technologies that expand the quality and reach of education. We remain committed to building inclusive and accessible digital learning pathways and to ensuring that innovations like LAViR support teachers and students across the continent and beyond through educational innovation and online learning excellence.”
