Do you want to learn the metaverse skills needed to get ahead in the unfolding Web3? If so, you may want to look at signing up for the free course currently being offered by the University of Nicosia (UNIC) in Cyprus. According to the UNIC website, the course is “delivered on-chain and in the metaverse”. It began in October and continues into January.
Although the course is well underway, it is self-paced, so if you have enough time to set aside over the holidays, you can still sign up and complete the Metaverse certification. Furthermore, the course material is uploaded to Github as the curriculum progresses. You can find it here.
The course, META 501: NFTs and the Metaverse come with an official “University of Nicosia Certificate of Completion” NFT, on the Ethereum blockchain. To get your Metaverse certificate, you must complete the course and pass the multiple-choice test at the end of the period.
Lectures are given by the UNIC faculty, headed by Professor George Giaglas, and Punk6529, a leading NFT and Metaverse investor, who April opened a Metaverse museum.
Learning occurs in virtual reality auditoriums within “OM”, an Open Metaverse built by Punk6529.
There is also a veritable array of star guest lecturers, including big hitters such as Keith Grossman, President of Forbes, Yat Siu, Chairman of Animoca Brands, and NFT artist, Beeple. There are too many to name here, but the list includes trailblazers, influencers and companies investing in the Metaverse and NFT space. You can browse the guest lecturers and their expertise on the university website.
Why take the “NFTs and the Metaverse” course?
The Metaverse is the next evolution of the internet and will majorly impact many aspects of society, including business, work, governing, personal and social relationships.
Moreover, an integral part of the coming Metaverse is NFTs. Therefore, the modules included in META 501 will help learners understand the skill sets needed to succeed in the Metaverse and give them an introductory foundation of the basics behind the theory and current use cases for the emerging technologies surrounding both.
You may think that the Metaverse is a long way off, and yes, a fully functional inter-operable metaverse is still not technologically feasible but an S&P 500 company, Gartner, predicts that some 25% of people will be active within the evolving Metaverse, for at least one hour a day.
What other free courses do UNIC offer?
UNIC is also offering a further two free MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) starting in the new year. The first MOOC is an introductory course to Decentralized Finance which begins on 9th January 2023. The second offering is BLOC-511DL: Digital Currency, which commences on 6th February 2023. You can find more info on signing up for the DeFi course here and if you wish to enrol in the free Blockchain course check this page out.
What modules are included in NFTs and the Metaverse?
The first seven weeks are focused on NFTs and include lectures on copyright, provenance, and tax laws concerning NFTs. The Crypto and Generative art NFTs modules cover subjects such as cross-over artists and photography and the history and future direction of generative art.
Another module covering gaming NFTs includes lectures on in-game economics, play-to-earn games, and the differences between blockchain and traditional gaming.
The second half of the course relates to the NFTs in the Metaverse. The first lectures give you a grounding in the history of the early Metaverse, plus lectures on MMORPGs, virtual reality systems and metaverse social networks.
Another set of lectures includes learning about 3D in the Metaverse. Subjects relate to propriety game engines and Web3 standards. Further lectures concentrate on moves to create immersive experiences for users through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), extended reality, virtual worlds and how virtual environments will grow.
Other subjects taught are metaverse-related business opportunities, business laws, and protecting your brand in the Metaverse.
The final lectures relate to web 1 and 2 technology stacks and the future of Web3 technology stacks such as Wed3 apps and Open Standards.
About the University of Nicosia
The university has a good reputation and is ranked the No. 1 University in the Southern Mediterranean for tuition in English, with Times Higher Education ranking the UNIC at 501#, overall globally.
Moreover, it has a long association with blockchain technology, becoming the World’s first university to offer credits for blockchain courses, back in 2014.
Currently, the university offers two crypto-related degrees, an MSc in Blockchain and Digital Currency and an MSc in Computer Science – Blockchain Concentration. In addition, it hopes to introduce an MSc in Metaverse Systems in 2023.
Afterthoughts on courses to learn metaverse skills
As Web3 technology evolves, people will live a mixed reality life, seamlessly moving between the real world and the virtual world. These future immersive worlds will include new digital technology and business, work and social opportunities.
The UNIC, NFTs and the Metaverse certificate is an excellent way to develop the Metaverse skills needed to be successful, in virtual environments. The set-up, UNIC, and the lecturers involved combine to give the course weight and authority.
Finally, when the course is completed it will still be available for open access.
If you are interested in studying the Metaverse, Web3, blockchain and NFTs, you can check out our articles on the free Binance courses and paid courses on Udemy.
