This paper presents the first prototype of a virtual audience system (VAS) specifically designed as a training tool for conference talks. This system has been tailored for university seminars dedicated to the preparation and delivery of scientific talks. We describe the required features which have been identified during the development process. We also summarize the preliminary feedback received from lecturers and students during the first deployment of the system in seminars for bachelor and doctoral students. Finally, we discuss future work and research directions. We believe our system architecture and features are providing interesting insights on the development and integration of VR-based educational tools into university curriculum.