University of Surrey to form blockchain and metaverse academy

Published by

Sam Pither

Metaverse city and cyberpunk concept, 3d render

The University of Surrey is creating an unprecedented academy to research applications for blockchain and the metaverse.

The academy’s focus will be on research and developing skills to accelerate the discovery of uses for metaverse and blockchain technologies. It has been made possible by a £1 million donation from bitcoin investment company JKL Capital and NFT experts Maxity.

Professor Steve Wood, Dean of the Surrey Business School, said: “We have seen a quiet explosion of innovations made possible by blockchain technologies. Whether it is the increased adoption of cryptocurrencies, the growing popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or the upcoming flood of VR and AR headsets, it is a fascinating time for all.

“The business world must grasp these new technologies moving forward. The new Academy will help to ensure our graduates, our staff and the wider Surrey business community are equipped with the skills to grow their careers and their businesses in this new technological wave of development.”

The academy will prioritise the provision of training workshops for students and staff at the University of Surrey as well as local businesses. With Surrey having been recently named a cybersecurity cluster, the academy will further supplement Surrey’s advanced technologies sector.

Research also suggested recently that children will spend up to ten years of their lives in the metaverse, again pointing to the importance of the academy.

Professor Yu Xiong, Founding Director of the Surrey Academy for Blockchain and Metaverse, said: “One of the few positives from the pandemic is the technologies that have been developed that focus on bringing us closer together, even if we are physically apart.

“While we are not living in a digital-first world, our online lives have near equal importance to our physical, and it is important that the research and teaching community spread knowledge but also create tools that will create a fairer and just virtual society.”

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.