Visit UZH in Japan, virtually

Claudio Tessone jumps from the gallery in the main lecture hall of the University of Zurich's main building. Don't worry, though; no bones were broken. It is simply his avatar who is performing the stunt in a metaverse version of the venue, which is part of the Swiss Virtual Pavilion at Expo 2025.

Led by Tessone, the UZH Blockchain Center contributed to this virtual experience by developing the digital twins of the University of Zurich's historic main building, including the Lichthof - the large atrium in the main building - and the main lecture hall. These metaverse spaces are part of the Virtual Expo: an app that complements the physical event taking place in Osaka from 13 April to 13 October 2025. The app aims to enhance global accessibility, ensuring that everyone can participate in this international event.

The main lecture hall is also used as a venue for events in the metaverse, specifically a series of Nobel Talks. Tessone is in touch with the Metapeace Association, a non-profit organization committed to promoting science and technology as driving forces for peace. "That's how the idea of inviting Nobel laureates to give speeches was born," he says. The first of these talks took place on 19 May: Nobel laureate Takaaki Kajita (2015 in Physics) spoke about "Unlocking the Universe's Secret with Neutrinos." On 19 June, Eric S. Maskin (2007 in Economics) will give an introduction to mechanism design. Among the other speakers are also Didier Queloz, Hans Rudolf Herren and Nobel Laureate Aaron Ciechanover (access the full program here).

• "Harmony Island" in the Virtual Expo App. The Virtual Swiss Pavilion is located on the right.
• The main stage of the Swiss Pavilion.
• Entrance to the main lecture hall, also known as Aula.
• The main lecture hall, where virtual events take place.

The UZH Blockchain Center had already created a digital version of the main lecture hall last year to provide an inclusive experience for students of the "Summer School Deep Dive into Blockchain" who participated online. Thus, when Tessone was approached by Presence Switzerland regarding the creation of a metaverse space for the Expo, he had something to build on. Tessone and his postdoc, Shengnan Li, incorporated landmark features of the UZH main building. For example, they included the sign in the Aula that commemorates Winston Churchill's visit in 1946.

Visitors to the digital main building can also marvel at the collection of cast sculptures exhibited in the real-life version. The Blockchain Center collaborated with Oliver Bruderer and Martin Bürger of the UZH Archaeology Museum to create the 3D reproductions of the statues. "Due to limitations in the app, we weren't even able to use all the features that we had planned," says Tessone. "But we are building these assets for the long term, anyway, we will develop them further for other purposes and expand the depth of the blockchain technology used."

Has Tessone seen the real-life Expo? Not yet, but he plans to travel to Japan in the fall for a blockchain event at the Expo in Osaka and to meet with partners at Kyoto University.

Program of the Nobel Talks and instructions to access the virtual main building and lecture hall

Download the official Virtual Expo App on your device (Windows/Mac/iOS/Android/VR).

UZH Blockchain Center