LEARNING at Borders College is set to be transformed thanks to the development of an immersive classroom.

Developed by BT, the 5G enabled classroom will see a room at the college transformed into a new teaching environment to be used by students and locals.

The four walls of the classroom will have 3D projections on them to bring the real world of inner city construction to life in the Borders.

David Lowe, Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Sustainability at Borders College, said: “Thanks to this new innovative 5G enabled equipment from BT, there will no longer be a divide between the opportunities offered to rural and inner-city students.

“Our students will be able to learn from wide-ranging developments, which is incredibly important in helping them to navigate their career opportunities and understand where their preferences lie in this diverse sector.

“As lecturers, it will give us far more agility to update our courses as new practices and techniques enter the market, which will unlock a wider and ‘green’ range of skills among students.”

The cutting edge technology offers students at Borders College a level playing field with others learning about construction closer to city centres.

Sustainability is also highlighted in the new development as Borders College is working towards becoming a green construction hub.

Alan Lees, director for business for BT in Scotland, said: “[This] announcement is part of an exciting journey for BT in bringing connectivity and its benefits to more communities across Scotland using innovative and ultrafast technology.

“It’s great to be working with Borders College to transform the learning experience and skills of thousands of students across the Scottish Borders and beyond. By harnessing the power of 5G, this immersive technology can revolutionise the way young people learn and engage with any subject offering those in more rural settings the same opportunities as inner-city students.

“BT's ambition is to 'Connect for Good', and we continue to invest in our network, becoming the first to launch 5G in the Scottish Borders. It is a credit to Borders College for capitalising on this new technology early and leading the way, to create greater opportunities for their current and future students.”

The 3D classroom will also be open to students on a range of courses – including engineering and medical – to learn in an immersive space, and face real life scenarios.