upGrad has partnered with Israel-based EyeWay Vision to pilot augmented reality-based immersive learning experiences on its platform, as it looks to improve interactivity and engagement among its students. “We have identified two key areas in upGrad for this pilot. The first is our data science and machine learning programmes, which is one of our core strengths. The number of students we have there is much larger than any other programmes and hence will serve as a good base for this test,” upGrad co-founder Phalgun Kompalli told. “We have dedicated courses on data visualization, and big data learning, where we believe the subject naturally lends itself to this particular technology.” The second key area is driving peer-to-peer and peer-to-faculty engagement among its students on the platform.

Founded in 2015 by Kompalli, Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, and Ravijot Chugh, upGrad provides over 100 programmes across diverse topics including data science, technology, management, marketing, arts, and law. It has tie-ups with around 20 universities including IIT Madras, IIM Kozhikode, Australia’s Deakin Business School, US-based Michigan State University and Duke CE, and UK-based Liverpool John Moores University among others. The company claims to have more than one million students across more than 50 countries. Over 50,000 of them are paying users. It recorded an annual revenue run rate of $165 million for the fiscal year 2021.

“Partnering with upGrad is the perfect opportunity to apply EyeWay’s advanced AR technology to enhance the whole learning experience by making it immersive and distraction-free, gamifying online learning for high course completion rates. EyeWay’s AR uses eye-tracking, direct retinal projection, and foveated projection to produce a tenfold improvement in visual enhancement,” said Nikhil Balram, the chief executive of EyeWay Vision Inc.