Integration of the metaverse into university education in rural areas: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The study was conducted in response to the need to integrate immersive technologies into university education in rural areas, where digital gaps limited access to quality learning experiences. The main objective was to analyze the integration of the metaverse into rural higher education, identifying the technological, pedagogical, and socioeconomic challenges associated with its implementation. The research adopted a mixed empirical approach, combining a structured questionnaire with six Likert-type items applied to 120 students and semi-structured interviews conducted with 20 faculty members from three rural universities selected through purposive sampling. Results showed that more than half of the students had the necessary technological resources and expressed positive attitudes toward immersive learning. However, deficiencies in infrastructure, connectivity, and teacher training were identified. The interviews revealed that although professors perceived the metaverse as an innovative tool, they considered institutional support and ongoing training essential. In conclusion, integrating the metaverse into rural university education represented a significant opportunity to improve equity, motivation, and educational quality, provided that technological sustainability and contextual relevance were ensured.