The University of Gloucestershire has been awarded £2.5 million to create FutureSim, a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence for AI-powered simulation and immersive learning.
Funded by the Office for Students, the centre will open at the university’s Oxstalls Campus in April 2026 and will transform training for students, professionals and employers across sectors including health, policing, social care, cyber and education.
FutureSim will consolidate and expand the university’s current simulation facilities into a single integrated hub featuring five modular zones that replicate real-world environments – from hospital wards and community settings to forensic and custodial scenarios. Refurbishment of existing buildings will keep the project both cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable.
The centre will house immersive and XR environments, virtual patient pods, advanced manikins, wearable tech, AI-enabled analytics and a Hydra command suite used for crisis leadership training. Learners will be able to practise and innovate in safe but realistic settings designed to mirror the complexity of modern professional practice.
Aligned with the Gloucestershire Local Skills Improvement Plan, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Digital Strategy, FutureSim aims to address digital skills shortages and boost workforce readiness. The project will increase the university’s simulation capacity by 25%, helping to ease pressure on placements while supporting graduates to become digitally fluent and confident using AI-driven workflows.
Matthew Andrews, Chief Operating Officer, said:
“FutureSim represents a bold step forward in how we prepare our students and partners for the future of digital and professional practice. By investing in cutting-edge simulation and AI-ready environments, we’re strengthening our region’s ability to meet national workforce needs and drive innovation.”
The centre will build on the university’s strong track record in large-scale simulation with NHS and emergency service partners, reinforcing Gloucestershire’s ambition to become a national hub for cyber and digital innovation.