The DigiLab4U project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the code 16DHB2115 and managed by VDI Technology Center GmbH, aimed to create a hybrid digital laboratory environment that integrates physical, virtual, and mixed‑reality (MR) laboratories for engineering education. The initiative was carried out from 2021 to 2023 in collaboration with four partner institutions: the Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart (HFT), the Bremer Institut für Produktion und Logistik GmbH (BIBA), RWTH Aachen, and the Università degli Studi di Parma. The Institute for Knowledge Media (IWM) at the University of Koblenz‑Landau led the design, implementation, and evaluation of the didactic concepts, while the partners supplied laboratory infrastructure and domain expertise.

Technically, the project delivered a comprehensive learning management system (LMS) based on Moodle, which served as the central hub for all learning activities. Complementary tools such as the Open Badge Factory (OBF) were integrated to issue digital credentials, and four MR applications were developed to support collaborative and individual learning in distributed settings. The didactic work produced a method‑didactic master concept and five complementary sub‑concepts, which were translated into five fully implemented learning scenarios: “RFID‑Messkammer hands‑on” and “VR‑RFID‑Messkammer” at HFT, “RSSI Curve & Reading Optimization” and “Supply Chain Management Serious Game” at Parma, and a “Connected Scenario” jointly developed by HFT and Parma with IWM support. In total, 160 evidence‑based didactic design recommendations were derived, although empirical validation was limited by the pandemic‑related constraints on evaluation opportunities.

Evaluation followed a design‑based research (DBR) approach. A formative evaluation involved 33 participants (19 students and 14 teachers/experts) across eight data‑collection rounds: two for scenario 1a, three for scenario 1b, two for scenario 2, and one for scenario 3. Qualitative interviews and questionnaires were analyzed using content analysis, yielding categories of “Problems” and “Improvements.” These findings guided iterative refinements of the learning scenarios in collaboration with the respective partners. For the summative evaluation, the project operationalized ten overarching research questions, which were further refined into 18 specific questions and 24 hypotheses. A quasi‑experimental pre‑post design with experimental and control groups was planned to test causal relationships concerning learning progress, motivation, and acceptance of the learning environment, employing appropriate statistical tests such as covariance analysis.

The project’s outcomes include a robust hybrid laboratory platform that can be extended beyond the project’s lifespan, a set of validated didactic scenarios, and a repository of design recommendations that can inform future research and practice in engineering education. The collaboration model—combining expertise from technical universities, industry partners, and a research institute—demonstrated how interdisciplinary teams can rapidly prototype and evaluate innovative educational technologies. The project concluded in early 2023, coinciding with the reorganization of the IWM into the newly established University of Koblenz, thereby ensuring continuity of the DigiLab4U legacy within the university’s research agenda.