University of Surrey Creates Blockchain and Metaverse Academy

The University of Surrey, with the support of the investment company JKL Capital and the NFT Maxity trading platform, created the Academy for the Study of Blockchain and the Metaverse.

Steven Wood, dean of the Surrey School of Business, said the new academic unit will focus on research into the different uses of the metaverse and blockchain.

This was made possible by a £1 million ($1.2 million) donation from investment firm JKL Capital and non-fungible token (NFT) trading platform Maxity. The decision to create the Academy was dictated by the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies, the growing popularity of NFTs, as well as the development of virtual and augmented reality.

“Our priority will be to provide training workshops on blockchain and the metaverse for students and staff of the University of Surrey, as well as for local businesses. The business world needs to embrace these latest technologies as well. The Academy will help our graduates gain the skills they need to grow their businesses and careers in the next wave of technology,” said Wood.

Yu Xiong, founder of the Surrey Academy of Blockchain and the Metaverse, cited recent research showing that children can spend up to ten years of their lives in the metaverse. One of the few positives of the pandemic has been technologies aimed at bringing people closer together, even when they are far apart, he said.

“We may not live in a digital world, but our life in the virtual space is also important. Therefore, it is important that our researchers and educators spread knowledge about the blockchain and the metaverse, as well as create tools for a more just virtual society,” Xiong added.

Recall that in 2019 the University of Surrey began to use blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) to protect records of national video archives from unauthorized access.