In such an accelerated world of knowledge, virtual labs are becoming effective instruments that not only rethink experiences of students with science and engineering but contribute to world sustainability and access programs as well. Unlike typical laboratories that demand enormous infrastructure, heavy usage of electricity, and continuous usage of consumables, virtual laboratories present a new, green, and equalitarian option.

Traditional laboratories are capital-thirsty-instrumented gear, chemicals, and power-hungry buildings-both of which carry environmental and economic costs. 

Virtual laboratories eliminate these costs to a great extent with experiments being carried out in fully digital environments. With no consumables being wasted and no buildings needed physically, campuses significantly reduce their footprint while still experiencing excellent quality education. This aligns perfectly with having virtual laboratories supporting facilitating sustainability for higher education.

Most likely of all of virtual laboratories’ products was that of offering access to quality education in a democratic manner. In most remote or underserved schools, students lack access to instruments for physically performing complicated laboratory experiments. Virtual labs fill that void by offering access to world-class laboratories to anybody with internet access capabilities. In addition, physically challenged students, who would be placed at a disadvantage in typical laboratory settings, can participate fully without hindrance in safe, flexible, and convenient virtual settings. Geographical and cost barriers are eliminated with offers of virtual laboratories such that parity for students all over the world is achieved. Education equity is enhanced such that access to education is no longer provided to favored campuses or advantaged locations. Reinforced knowledge economies all over the world are the end product such that scientific and techno-logical innovation is encouraged by varied inputs.

With increasing awareness of green practices from industries and universities, it is a logical and stepwise next step to choose virtual lab facilities. Apart from being sustainable and economical, these labs also offer students of all probable classes of people equitable access to scientific education. By facilitating access while enforcing sustainability, virtual laboratories couldn’t be further in line with broader long-standing goals of developing a greener, more equitable, and more inclusive education system.

Author
Mehmet KARA
Early Stage Researcher in VILLAGE Project
Ph.D. Candidate, Ege University