From April 28 to April 29, the "Innovation Laboratory for Virtual Simulation Teaching in Higher Education" project launch meeting, hosted by the Educational Technology and Resource Development Center of the Ministry of Education (National Center for Educational Technology) and organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, was held in Nanjing. Nearly 320 representatives from over 140 universities across the country attended the meeting. The meeting was chaired by Li He, Director of the Higher Education Department of the Educational Technology and Resource Development Center. Xiao Hang, Deputy Director of the Educational Technology and Resource Development Center of the Ministry of Education, and Yang Shubing, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, attended the event and delivered speeches. Deputy Director Xiao Hang introduced the initiatives of the Educational Technology and Resource Development Center in the application and promotion of educational technology and resources in higher education, and provided an overview of the project, outlining requirements for its implementation. Professors from the University of International Business and Economics, Southeast University, and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications delivered keynote reports.

Finally, representatives from six universities, including Tsinghua University, Liaoning Normal University, Nanjing Medical University, Lanzhou University, South China University of Technology, and Southwest Jiaotong University, presented thematic reports. Jiao Jizong from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences of Lanzhou University represented the university and shared experiences on the current construction status, future goals, and considerations of the "Geographic Environment Virtual Simulation Innovation Laboratory." During the meeting, the participants engaged in extensive discussions with leaders and experts from other universities on topics such as the construction of virtual simulation laboratories, virtual simulation course development, and professional development.

Appendix:In 2023, to promote the deep integration of digital technology and experimental teaching in higher education and to enhance the construction and innovative application of virtual simulation teaching environments, the Educational Technology and Resource Development Center of the Ministry of Education initiated the selection process for the Innovation Laboratory for Virtual Simulation Teaching project. After voluntary applications from universities and a summary review process, a total of 325 teaching teams from 173 universities nationwide were selected. Lanzhou University had three laboratory teaching teams selected.