16 December 2025
Research by King's academic licensed for use as part of innovative teaching programme
Pioneering research on conflict resolution led by a King’s academic has been licensed for use as part of an innovative virtual reality (VR) programme being rolled out in schools.
The VR for Conflict Resolution programme is designed to help students develop skills to manage conflict constructively by allowing them to embody another person in ways that aren’t possible in real life using immersive virtual reality headsets.
Mindflight7, a firm specialising in education technology, will be introducing the programme in schools across Australasia, building on an app developed by Dr Elisa Cavatorta, from the Department of Political Economy at King’s.
Dr Cavatorta’s said: “This has been an incredible journey, bringing together people from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, all united by a shared ambition to support young people’s development. I’m excited for the next stage of this journey with my team and to deepening our work with Mindflight7.
“We also warmly welcome new collaborations with organisations and donors who share our commitment to research-led innovation, using cutting-edge technology for good and building the skills needed for the future.”
Using the VR headsets, Mindflight7 aims to offer students the chance to explore what misunderstandings look like from another's point of view as well as offering choices that support de-escalation and positive interactions.
A spokesperson for Mindflight7, said: “Our mission is to empower educators across Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore with curriculum-aligned, immersive tools that strengthen student character. By integrating this Conflict Resolution VR experience - built upon rigorous academic research from King’s College London - we are offering schools a transformative way to foster social skills.
“Through immersive 'body-swap' technology, students don't just talk about perspective-taking; they experience it in a safe environment. This program enables young people to recognise misunderstandings and develop the essential emotional intelligence needed to de-escalate tension and manage conflict constructively in their daily lives.”
King’s has granted Mindflight7 a licence to distribute a standalone VR application that was developed from Dr Cavatorta’s research. The agreement allows Mindflight7 to make the VR app available to schools as part of its educational offering.
Dr Cavatorta was supported with the licensing agreement by King’s Innovation Catalyst (KIC) - a specialist team that helps King's researchers unlock commercial opportunities, from initial idea to acceleration and impact.
Through its SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy) initiative, KIC is working to support opportunities for researchers within social sciences, humanities and the arts.
Rachel Davies, IP and Innovation Executive with KIC, said: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Elisa and the Mindflight7 team on this, and it’s been rewarding to help shape the research into something that can reach more people and support its wider impact goals.
"This is a pioneering commercial licence from a member of the King’s SHAPE community. Through this creative collaboration, Elisa and I worked to balance impact and commercial goals, demonstrating that both can be successfully achieved within a single project. The work has also drawn on broader efforts to strengthen commercial pathways for SHAPE research, particularly in understanding new technologies and aligning researcher ambitions with the goals of industry partners.
"Projects like this show how commercialisation can act as a practical route to impact, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this momentum can take SHAPE research next."
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You can find out more about KIC here: King's Innovation Catalyst.
In this story
Reader in Economics and Vice Dean (International) for the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy
IP & Innovation Executive