Dipima Buragohain, Lunchakorn Wuttisittikulkij, Sushank Chaudhary
ABSTRACT Higher education is undergoing a global transition as metaverse technologies, including persistent 3D worlds, extended reality, embodied avatars, and interoperable data infrastructures, move from speculative hype to early adoption. This study synthesizes insights from three illustrative institutional initiatives: the MSc in Metaverse at the University of Nicosia (Cyprus), the MSc in Metaverse Technology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong), and the Metaverse School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo (Japan). It provides a cross‐case comparative review informed by activity theory, the Community of Inquiry framework, and self‐determination theory. The analysis highlights how platforms, curricula, policies, assessment practices, and learner identities are orchestrated to scaffold presence, agency, collaboration, and knowledge transfer. Five recurrent mechanisms emerge across cases: (1) spatial presence and embodied rehearsal sup interdisciplinary skill formation; (2) instrumented collaboration and project‐based learning generating process data for assessment; (3) integration of micro‐credentialing and blockchain‐backed verification into institutional quality assurance; (4) equity scaffolds addressing device access, usability, and multilingual participation; and (5) platform governance strategies balancing local ecosystem requirements with global interoperability standards. The study concludes with a set of design principles and a maturity model to guide institutions considering metaverse‐enabled education at scale across diverse cultural and disciplinary contexts.