Page content
Ulster University's pioneering Virtual Campus initiative has been recognised on the international stage after receiving the inaugural AT Innovation Award at the 2026 Architectural Technology Awards in London.
Developed through a collaboration between Ulster University's Flexible Education and Widening Participation Directorate and the Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment (BSABE), the award-winning project uses immersive digital technology to help students, staff and visitors familiarise themselves with university spaces before arriving on campus.
The AT Awards are the premier accolades celebrating outstanding achievement in Architectural Technology, recognising outstanding projects and professionals from across the globe. Ulster University's Virtual Campus was named the first-ever recipient of the new innovation award category, with judges praising its impact and technical excellence.
Designed to reduce anxiety associated with navigating unfamiliar environments, the platform is particularly beneficial for neurodivergent individuals and those with additional support needs. Through immersive virtual experiences, users can explore university facilities in advance, helping to build confidence, ease transitions and foster a stronger sense of belonging.
A distinctive feature of the initiative is its student-led ethos. To date, nine students from Ulster University's Architectural Technology and Management programme have played a central role in developing and evolving the platform, creating the majority of its virtual environments and digital outputs.
Now embedded as a permanent university resource, the Virtual Campus has engaged almost 110,000 active users, attracting visitors from more than 140 countries worldwide, demonstrating its growing global reach and impact.
Commenting on the award, Professor David Comiskey, Professor of Architectural Technology and Digital Built Environments at Ulster University, said:
"It is an honour to be recognised alongside some of the foremost leaders in the Architectural Technology sector. Being named the inaugural recipient of the AT Innovation Award reflects the outstanding commitment and innovation of the team and underscores the impact of the Virtual Campus initiative."
The judges highlighted the project's ability to deliver meaningful impact through innovative problem-solving and technical excellence.
In their citation, the judges’ commented:
"Virtual Campus demonstrates how relatively simple interventions, combining technical and aesthetic expertise, can have a significant impact on not just neurodivergent students leaving home for the first time, but on other students; and, with development, the workplace at large."
"This entry strongly reflects the ethos of architectural technology, pairing real world problem-solving with innovation and technical excellence to produce a solution of lasting relevance."
Speaking of the award success and their experience of working on the project, students said:
Conor McColgan - Student Placement 2025-26 (Virtual Campus):
“It was a real honour to accept the new AT Innovation Award at the 2026 CIAT Awards. I’m proud to have contributed to this valuable project during my time at the Virtual Campus, building on the hard work of previous placement students. The sky is the limit for this project!”
Jo-Jo Andrews - Student Placement 2026-27 (Virtual Campus Digital Outreach Assistant):
"I was delighted to be invited to the CIAT Awards, it was unreal to see the hard work of all the students before me recognised at such a prestigious event! Excited to see the future of Virtual Campus!”
The AT Innovation Award success builds on a series of significant accolades already achieved by the project. Virtual Campus won the Excellence in Health and Wellbeing category at the Digital Construction Live Awards and secured the Digital Innovation in Asset Management Award at the Digital Construction Awards. The initiative was also Highly Commended in the Digital Innovation of the Year category at the Digital DNA Awards and also received Ulster University's Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution in recognition of its impact on students and the wider community. It has also inspired student research projects, some of which have achieved award success in their own right.
Together, these honours recognise the project's success in addressing a real-world challenge through the innovative application of architectural technology, creating a practical solution that enhances wellbeing, accessibility and the student experience.
The success of Virtual Campus was complemented by further success for Ulster University students at the Architectural Technology Awards.
Sinéad Duffy, a recent graduate from the Architectural Technology and Management programme, was named overall winner of the prestigious Student Project of the Year Award, for her submission ‘North Quarter Exchange’.
Open to students from Architectural Technology programmes internationally, the award highlights the continued strength of Ulster University's student talent. Since 2018, Ulster Architectural Technology and Management students have achieved eleven top three finishes across the student report and project categories, including four category wins.
On receiving the Student Project of the Year Award, Sinéad Duffy commented:
“Winning Student Project of the Year at the 2026 AT Awards, organised by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), is an incredible honour. To have my project, North Quarter Exchange recognised on a global stage is so rewarding, especially knowing the hard work that went into it.
“Growing up with a learning disability, I felt I had to work harder than others to keep up academically. My journey into university wasn’t straightforward and to go from questioning what I could achieve academically to winning a global award is something I’m incredibly proud of. I thoroughly enjoyed studying Architectural Technology and Management at Ulster University and am extremely grateful to the lecturers and wider Built Environment team for their support throughout my degree.”
Looking to the future, the Virtual Campus continues to expand. With support from the Department for the Economy, the team is currently mapping additional spaces across Ulster University's Derry~Londonderry campus as part of the Magee Growth Programme, as well as spaces at neighbouring North West Regional College.
Photo caption: Photographed at the 2026 Architectural Technology Awards in London are (from left to right): Professor David Comiskey (Professor of Architectural Technology & Digital Built Environments), Sinead Duffy (Winner of Student Project of the Year), Jaimie Jo (Jo Jo) Andrews (Virtual Campus Placement Student) and Conor McColgan (Final Year Student on the Architectural Technology and Management programme and previous Virtual Campus Placement Student).
Photo by CIAT
