Immersive technologies in higher education: potential for transforming professional training

Abstract

The article examines the transformational potential of immersive technologies, in particular virtual (VR) and augmented (!R) reality, for legal education and legal proceedings. The purpose of the study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the educational and legal capabilities of VR/!R, to identify their advantages and risks in the training of lawyers, and to assess the effectiveness of virtual simulations as a tool for professionalising legal activities. The article uses an interdisciplinary approach, which includes theoretical analysis of scientific sources and reports of international organisations (HolonIQ, PwC, !B!, EDUC!USE), comparative study of global and national cases of immersive technologies, systematisation of practical experience of VR implementation in Ukrainian higher education institutions, and conceptual modelling of the role of VR/!R/MR in the formation of professional competence. The authors analyse international studies by prominent scholars (D. Bailenson, M. Slater, J. Whittaker) and empirical examples of VR integration into legal education, in particular in the US! and !sia. The authors highlight the key role of immersive experience in the development of empathy, professional ref-lection, critical thinking and ethical sensitivity of future lawyers. The article also considers the use of VR in litigation to reconstruct events, visualise evidence and strengthen the arguments of the parties. The authors emphasise both the significant didactic potential of VR and the risks associated with it: cognitive distortions, excessive emotional involvement and the possibility of manipulation The authors conclude that there is an urgent need for regulatory regulation, methodological support and ethical assessment of VR tools in the field of legal education and practice. The authors define immersive technologies as an innovative resource for modernising the professional training of lawyers capable of integrating the knowledge, emotional and behavioural components of their competence.