META-TOO: A European effort to create safer and more inclusive virtual worlds marks its first year 

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), in partnership with INRIA (France) and IDIBAPS (Spain), marks the successful completion of the first year of META-TOO, a Horizon Europe project funded under WIDERA that runs from June 2024 to May 2027. 

META-TOO, which stands for “A transfer of knowledge and technology for investigating gender-based inappropriate social interactions in the Metaverse”, addresses one of the most pressing challenges in immersive digital environments: ensuring safe, inclusive, and respectful interactions in virtual worlds. 

A Year of Building Connections and Capacity 

At its core, META-TOO is a twinning initiative designed to strengthen NKUA’s research excellence and management capacity through knowledge and technology transfer from two leading European institutions: INRIA and IDIBAPS. 

During its first year, META-TOO has achieved several key milestones: 

• Fostering collaboration through internal coffee meetings, online webinars, and workshops that connected researchers and administrative staff from the three partner institutions, with sessions on open data, research data management, and funding opportunities. 

• Launching mobility secondments and short-term research exchanges, enabling NKUA researchers to work closely with teams in France and Spain to share best practices and develop joint studies. 

• Initiating early-stage collaborations on avatars, empathy-based interventions, and user behaviour analysis in extended reality (XR) environments. 

• Submitting joint research proposals and publications, laying the foundation for long-term partnerships and the project’s sustainability beyond its duration. 

• Engaging with the wider community through participation in major events and outreach activities, raising awareness about digital safety and gender inclusion in the Metaverse. 

Empowering Researchers and Shaping Ethical Virtual Futures 

By connecting expertise across computer science, psychology, and ethics, META-TOO is building a stronger foundation for interdisciplinary research on user well-being in immersive environments. The project actively supports early-career researchers, enhances NKUA’s institutional role in European research, and promotes responsible innovation in the rapidly evolving Metaverse. 

As META-TOO enters its second year, the consortium remains committed to deepening collaboration, expanding pilot studies, and developing actionable frameworks for inclusive and ethical virtual spaces. 

Together, NKUA, INRIA, and IDIBAPS are contributing to Europe’s leadership in digital ethics, safety, and inclusion—ensuring that future virtual worlds are built for everyone. 

Visit ΜΕΤΑ-ΤΟΟ in YouTube for insights from our research team!