From 8 to 10 September 2025, the SIMPLE project launched its first Inception Meeting in Lao PDR – a key milestone in leveraging virtual reality technologies to advance environmental education in the country.

Organized by BeDev Consulting and the National University of Laos, respectively represented by Mr. Benjamin Barutzki and Mr. Sotsay Sengvong, the meeting brought together a diverse group of experts and participants. Alongside computer scientists, modelers, and pedagogical specialists, teachers from schools in Vientiane also took part in the discussions. 

BeDev Consulting will serve as the lead agency responsible for implementing and coordinating the SIMPLE project in Lao PDR.

Conveying a scientific message on Epidemiology 

Notably, the first working day featured in-depth exchanges under the coordination of SIMPLE’s team leader, Mr. Alexis Drogoul, with valuable contributions on epidemiology and the transmission of infectious diseases from Ms Sabrina Locatelli, IRD Representative in Lao PDR, Ms. Blandine Rammaert, Epidemiologist at the Institut Pasteur in Laos, and Ms. Vatthanaphone Latthaphasavang, Epidemiologist at CILM.

Ms Sabrina Locatelli, IRD Representative in Lao PDR, gave a speech on the scientific context in terms of infectious disease in Laos

They specifically underscored the importance of conveying scientific knowledge on epidemiology to Lao students, while expressing the hope that SIMPLE’s resources will serve as powerful tools to spread this message. After several rounds of discussion, dengue fever was chosen by the participants as the most interesting subject to target in SIMPLE, notably because of its prevalence in the age class targeted by SIMPLE (70% of 12-18 years old children test positive for it). 

Lao participants tried VR for the first time 

One-day Game Jam

The SIMPLE technical team, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering at the National University of Laos, successfully organized a one-day Game Jam with the objective of producing a demo based on the scientific message shared by experts on the first day. Within just twenty-four hours, under the coordination of the SIMPLE team, 3D artists, illustrators, and Unity developers created a prototype that offered participants a lifelike experience on the prevention against dengue fever, generating immense excitement among the first players.

The SIMPLE technical team

Lao participants tested SIMPLE’s Game Demo on Dengue 

Ms Sabrina Locatelli, IRD Representative in Lao PDR, showed her excitement towards the Game Demo

Next Steps

The inception meeting in Lao PDR marks a significant milestone in SIMPLE’s mission to expand across ASEAN countries. Building on the experience gained from the development and classroom implementation of two Virtual Universes in Thailand and Vietnam, the Lao component promises to benefit from lessons learned while fostering stronger coordination and more refined development of its Virtual Universe.

Over the next six months, the SIMPLE team – in collaboration with BeDev Consulting – will focus on refining the scientific message with the support of multiple experts and advancing the development of the VR game for classroom use. On the pedagogical side, the team will work closely with teachers and schools to design a robust learning scenario that effectively integrates immersive technologies into education.