The accelerating complexity of professional practice requires higher education institutions to adopt innovative pedagogical approaches that bridge knowledge acquisition and authentic skills application. This paper presents the WAVE project, an educational innovation that integrates Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Virtual Reality (VR) to create adaptive, immersive training environments for water-rescue education. Designed as a proof-of-concept, WAVE addresses key limitations of traditional training including limited scenario variability, resource constraints, and safety risks by leveraging Generative AI to dynamically construct diverse, context-rich emergency situations. Central to WAVE’s design is a generative scenario engine that produces highly realistic virtual environments and variable rescue challenges, adapting to learner profiles, competencies, and progression. The system captures real-time performance data—such as decision-making, response time, and physiological indicators—and uses these inputs to personalise the learning pathway, ensuring that each training session evolves according to individual needs and skill development goals. This continuous adaptation supports experiential learning by exposing trainees to an extensive range of lifelike scenarios that would be impractical or unsafe to reproduce physically. The paper outlines the instructional design framework guiding the development of WAVE, with particular attention to how Generative AI enhances experiential learning, reflective practice, and mastery of critical decision-making. Preliminary pilot studies involving water-rescue trainees demonstrate promising outcomes, including increased situational awareness, improved procedural accuracy, and heightened learner engagement. Furthermore, participants report strong perceptions of realism, relevance, and motivation, highlighting the system’s potential to foster deeper learning. Beyond its immediate application to water-rescue training, WAVE offers broader implications for higher education. The modular architecture and adaptive capabilities of Generative AI-powered VR can be extended to various disciplines requiring complex skill acquisition, including healthcare, engineering, crisis management, and teacher education. The paper concludes by discussing scalability, ethical considerations in AI-generated training content, and the essential role of human oversight to ensure pedagogical soundness and learner well-being. This contribution aims to stimulate dialogue on how Generative AI and VR can reshape experiential learning in higher education, offering scalable, safe, and personalised alternatives to traditional skills training.

Keywords: Generative Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Experiential Learning, Adaptive Training, Higher Education Innovation.