University of Sharjah Develops Metaverse to Preserve UAE Culture

The University of Sharjah has launched a research project to develop a blockchain-based metaverse to preserve the UAE culture.

Together with the BSV Blockchain Association, Sharjah University plans to transform UAE cultural objects into digital assets by creating NFTs, and then develop a physical marketplace where users can exchange physical originals as well as NFTs in a metaverse environment.

Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Sharjah, said:

The University is serving the community and UAE’s national economy by implementing the vision of the Emirate of Sharjah as well as the UAE ‘s vision of documenting and preserving our history and heritage in both tangible and intangible formats.

This approach to historic preservation will help create multiple jobs for new technology graduates and create a new economy for trading in antiques, historical and contemporary works of art digitally and on the virtual market in the form of NFTs.

The cultural objects will reside in a virtual art gallery in the Metaverse, built on BSV Blockchain.