ISTE Approved One-Week FDP Programme on Empowering Educators and Researchers in AR/VR and Gamification held at PCCE, Verna

The Goa State Higher Education Council (GSHEC) and the Directorate of Higher Education, Govt. of Goa, in collaboration with Padre Conceicao College of Engineering (PCCE), Verna, and Government College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Quepem, organized the ISTE-approved one-week Faculty Development Programme(FDP) on “Empowering Educators and Researchers in AR/VR and Gamification.” The Inaugural ceremony was held on 14th July 2025 at Padre Conceicao College of Engineering (PCCE), Verna.

The chief guest, Shri Bhushan Savaikar, Executive Director of GSHEC and Director, Directorate of Higher Education, Govt. of Goa, emphasized the importance of understanding AR/VR in today’s educational landscape. “The integration of AR/VR in education can revolutionize the way we learn and teach,” he said.

The guest of honor and the Key Note Speaker Shri Rahat Kulshreshtha, alongside other dignitaries, including Dr. Niyan Marchon, Program Director ,Directorate of Higher education and GSHEC. Govt of Goa , Dr. Pravina Kerkar, Principal of Govt. College Quepem, Dr. Mahesh Parappagoudar, Principal of PCCE, and Fr. Vicky Hilario, Asst. Director, also addressed the gathering, highlighting the significance of AR/VR in modern education.

The keynote speaker Shri Rahat Kulshreshtha delivered a focused and insightful presentation, shedding light on the applications and importance of AR/VR in various fields. The participants were thrilled to learn about the latest trends and advancements in AR/VR technology.

Other expert speakers for the one-week FDP: Yash Dhake(Solutions consultant, Dassault Systemes), Tejas Pawar (PhD Researcher/conservation Architect Director – SDA studio), Dr. Kunal Korgaonkar (Asst. Prof, CSIS, BITS- Goa/ Lead of confluence Lab), Akhilesh Bhise(Founder at INNOVENT), Eddie Avil(Founder, Podcaster & Metaverse Strategist), Amit Tiwari (AI Consultant, Enterpreneur, Business Owner) and
Atul Choudhari (Edu Industry Process Expert Manager).

The one-week FDP was meticulously planned and executed by Lance de Melo, Asst. Prof. PCCE, coordinator along with Ramita Karpe, Asst. Prof. PCCE, Coordinator and Liana DaCosta, Coordinator and Associate Professor, Govt. College Quepem.

During this FDP, a range of topics including Fundamentals of AR, VR and Game design, 3D Modelling, asset creation in Blender, Augmented reality and virtual reality scene set up, Applications of AR/VR in Education were covered. Our esteemed resource persons shared their expertise, and participants engaged in thought-provoking discussions and hands-on activities

1 Week ISTE approved FDP received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, highlighting the program’s relevance, effectiveness, and impact on their professional growth.