Delhi, April 14, 2025: In a pioneering step towards transforming legal education in India and potentially across the globe, the School of Law, UPES, has launched the country’s first Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) Legal Simulation Lab. This state-of-the-art facility was officially inaugurated on April 10, 2025, by Dr. Subramanian Swamy, Former Minister of Law & Justice, India and a distinguished economist, jurist, and public intellectual.
The AR/VR Legal Simulation Lab at UPES is a first-of-its-kind initiative not just in India, but arguably in legal academia worldwide. Designed to revolutionize traditional legal pedagogy, the lab will offer immersive simulations for law students, helping them hone essential soft skills, develop courtroom acumen, and engage in high-impact experiential learning through realistic moot court and litigation simulations.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor (Dr.) Abhishek Sinha, Dean, School of Law, UPES, said: “The legal profession demands not just theoretical knowledge but practical readiness, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. With the launch of the AR/VR Legal Simulation Lab, we are pushing the boundaries of legal education and embracing a future-forward, technology-integrated approach to learning. Our students will now experience legal practice in a near-real environment, preparing them more holistically for the profession. This lab also reflects UPES School of Law’s commitment to leading innovation in legal academia.”
Apart from student training, the lab will also serve as a platform for faculty development programs (FDPs), particularly in areas like communication, negotiation, counselling, and other soft skills crucial for effective legal practice and teaching.
Dr. Subramanian Swamy said: “It’s a technology which I had no idea about and to see it at this stage amongst you people, I am very impressed. My generation was better than my father’s generation and so the next generation is bound to be better than me. It took me by surprise. I congratulate your institution to be able to encourage people to do these things.“