The 2nd Public Event of the European project 5G-BECOME successfully took place at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), bringing together professors, researchers, academic representatives, technology experts, and partners from Greece and abroad to explore the future of higher education through advanced digital technologies.
The event officially opened with welcome remarks by Prof. Nikolaos D. Lagaros, Vice Rector of Finance, Infrastructure and Development of NTUA, Prof. Panagiotis Tsanakas, Dean of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of NTUA, and Dr. Angelos Amditis, Research & Development Director of ICCS/NTUA. In their opening remarks, the speakers highlighted the growing importance of advanced connectivity technologies, digital innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping the future of education and research.
The event offered participants from Greek universities and the wider academic community a unique opportunity to experience how 5G connectivity, Edge Computing, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Digital Twin technologies can transform teaching and learning within modern university environments.
ICCS/NTUA actively contributed to the programme through presentations and live demonstrations showcasing the project’s technological infrastructure and innovative educational applications. Pavlos Basaras, Technical Coordinator of the 5G-BECOME project, presented the project’s vision, objectives, and the deployment of the private 5G network and Edge Computing infrastructure developed within the framework of the project.
Through immersive XR demonstrations from NTUA professors and researchers, attendees explored interactive educational scenarios designed to enhance collaboration and engagement in higher education. Assistant Professors K. Nikolitsas and G. Piniotis from the NTUA School of Rural, Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering presented the session “XR-Assisted Geodesy: Basic principles”, while Laboratory Teaching Staff member E. Papakonstantinou from the NTUA School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering showcased the session “XR-Assisted Marine Engineering: Ship Resistance and Propulsion”.
The programme also included the XR workshop “Mine Exploration: A Mineral Adventure in AR” by the NTUA School of Mining & Metallurgical Engineering, followed by an interactive XR session where participants had the opportunity to engage directly with the developed systems and applications.
The 5G-BECOME project aims to reshape education and research at NTUA through the deployment of an advanced private 5G network and Edge Computing infrastructure, enabling innovative educational applications and bridging the gap between academia and emerging technologies.
Beyond the demonstrations, the event fostered meaningful discussions around the role of next-generation connectivity technologies in shaping the universities of the future, highlighting how immersive and connected educational environments can support more inclusive, collaborative, and engaging learning experiences.
The 5G-BECOME consortium would like to warmly thank all participants, speakers, contributors, and attendees for their presence and active engagement throughout the event.
Stay tuned for more updates and future activities of the project https://www.5g-become.eu/
