SURF is the collaborative ICT organization for Dutch education and research, dedicated to driving digital innovation across institutions. Within this mission, SURF’s XR (Extended Reality) program plays a crucial role in exploring, supporting, and promoting the use of immersive technologies—such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR)—to enhance teaching, learning, and scientific research.
SURF acts as a national innovation hub for XR, facilitating experimentation and implementation across a wide network of universities, applied sciences institutions, research centers, and vocational education providers. It offers access to expertise, infrastructure, funding opportunities, and a collaborative community of developers, educators, and technologists.
SURF also provides guidance to institutions navigating the practical challenges of XR integration—such as content development, technical interoperability, privacy concerns, and the pedagogical effectiveness of immersive experiences.
Extended Key Activities
XR Trends Update
SURF publishes regular updates on global and national developments in XR, analyzing technological maturity, use cases, educational impact, and market trends. These reports help institutions plan strategically and stay ahead of emerging opportunities and challenges.
XR Developer Network
This initiative connects technical experts working on XR in Dutch education and research. Through events, a shared platform, and working groups, members exchange knowledge on software, hardware, content creation, and integration strategies. It supports co-development, testing, and the reuse of XR tools and platforms.
XR on Tour
SURF organizes on-site visits and regional meetups with XR labs and educational institutions across the Netherlands. These tours foster cross-institutional collaboration, local community engagement, and the showcasing of hands-on XR applications in classrooms and research labs.
Innovation and Collaboration
SURF facilitates pilot projects, funding schemes, and co-creation workshops to prototype and evaluate XR solutions. Institutions can apply for support to experiment with XR in specific contexts, such as simulations for healthcare, architectural visualization, or virtual fieldwork in geography.
XR Innovation Forum
SURF also hosts the XR Innovation Forum (XRIF)—a digital platform for discussing cutting-edge XR topics, sharing best practices, and connecting stakeholders. XRIF
serves as a central communication and coordination space for the national XR ecosystem in education and research.
For more information, visit: https://www.surf.nl/en/themes/xr-extended-reality