Thursday November 6, 2025
New EU Project Aims to Transform Healthcare Education with Extended Reality and Entrepreneurship
USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten is proud to be a part of a new European research initiative that seeks to revolutionize education and research in the healthcare industry. The project, titled LEAPXR – Linking Education and Applied Practice for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in eXtended Reality, brings together 16 partner institutions from across Europe to explore the potential of extended reality (XR) technologies and entrepreneurial thinking in driving innovation in the health sector.
As Europe’s healthcare systems face increasing pressure from factors such as aging populations and a rise in chronic conditions, XR technologies offer powerful tools for training and collaboration. Additionally, entrepreneurship serves as a catalyst for sustainable innovation. By combining these elements, LEAPXR aims to develop new approaches to healthcare education, clinical practice, and research.
USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten will contribute its expertise in interdisciplinary education, digital transformation, and innovation to the project, helping to integrate XR technologies into both teaching and applied research.
Podcast on Spotify
The LEAPXR project officially commenced online in March and, in October, the consortium gathered in St. Pölten for a two-day on-site meeting. Representatives from partner universities and industry collaborators came together to exchange ideas, align goals, and strengthen interdisciplinary ties. During the meeting, the team recorded a special episode for the podcast “LEAPXR Talks,” which features the voices, visions, and collaborative spirit of the initiative. The episode is available on Spotify and offers insights into the project’s ambitions and the dynamic energy driving its development.
Vanessa Leung, Senior Researcher at USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, shared her perspective on the transformative potential of XR in training and rehabilitation: “Training is not one-size-fits-all. What the virtual environment can do is adapt to its user. We are trying to respond to physiological signals and the environment the person is in – either to calm it down or to stimulate it. That’s where XR becomes truly powerful.”
Annemarie Penders, project manager of LEAPXR, emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of the initiative: “LEAPXR is, for me, the intersection of different disciplines – entrepreneurial as well as innovative. XR will become a standard tool in healthcare education and innovation.”
XR as a Driver of Innovation and Efficiency in Healthcare
Through immersive, lifelike simulations, XR enables healthcare students and professionals to practice complex scenarios, refine care processes, and tailor training to individual needs. This hands-on approach improves learning outcomes and enhances the quality of patient care. XR also supports collaboration across locations, offering new opportunities, particularly in nursing and therapy.
Fostering Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Collaboration
LEAPXR aims to strengthen entrepreneurial mindsets within higher education and stimulate innovation across the healthcare economy by:
* Establishing accessible XR infrastructures for research, practice, and industry use.
* Creating an XR Innovation Hub to bridge universities and the business sector.
* Developing practice-oriented learning and training models based on successful EU projects such as CITE (https://eit-hei.eu/projects/cite) and E.I.N.S. (https://eit-hei.eu/projects/e.i.n.s/).
* Promoting a collaborative innovation culture to support international cooperation and start-up initiatives.
€ 1.3 Million in EU Funding
The project has received a € 1.3 million investment from the EIT Higher Education Initiative and the European Union, highlighting its strategic importance for Europe. LEAPXR helps to nurture talent, strengthen international networks, and boost Europe’s innovation capacity in the health-tech sector. Through its participation, USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten reinforces its position as a European leader in forward-looking education and research.
A European Consortium for XR Innovation
The LEAPXR consortium brings together universities, research institutes, and industry partners from across Europe, including Saxion University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands – external project lead), Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (Latvia), UCLL University of Applied Sciences Leuven-Limburg (Belgium), Fulda University of Applied Sciences (Germany), JAMK University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Accent Inkubator GmbH, Stichting WTC Twente (Netherlands), Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal (Portugal), Universitatea Politehnica Timișoara (Romania), Aleksandër Moisiu University Durrës (Albania), University of the Aegean (Greece), XR4EUROPE AISBL (Europe), Crazy Town Oy (Finland), Ontwikkelmaatschappij Oost-Nederland N.V. (Netherlands), and Moovd B.V. (Netherlands).
Together, they are working to build a