During the week of September 17, 2009, the University of Texas System announced a major project to initiate a statewide virtual learning community of students, faculty, researchers and administrators using Second Life. 

The focus of the project is to use 21st century technology to develop 21st century knowledge and skills. In addition, however, like many state systems of higher education, the project will explore how to reduce (and in some cases replace) brick-and-mortar costs while becoming more energy-efficient.

The project offers a creative approach to undergraduate instruction through the innovative use of a 21st century low-cost online virtual world technology. This high-profile project involving 16 campuses and 49 Second Life islands, is the first of its kind in the world, and is expected to serve as a learning model for other statewide systems.

Hosting almost 200,000 students and 7,500 faculty, the UT System has funded the creation of a virtual, 49-island archipelago in Second Life (SL), with three islands per campus and one central island for System-wide collaboration and administrative activities.

Designed for extensive inter-campus, intra-campus, and out-of-state collaboration, the University of Texas System Second Life project has IRB-approved research and assessment integrated throughout and takes into account the most current evidence-based research on pedagogy in virtual learning spaces.

As is generally true nationally, the critical need for a pedagogical transformation in undergraduate education motivated the UT System to initiate this preliminary extension into the virtual world environment with a program that emphasizes teaching in the areas of science/ math, international/ intercultural, and health/ medical, among other areas.