UNWTO has successfully completed the first university course on Tourism and International Cooperation for Development. The university course Tourism and International Cooperation for Development has been…
UNWTO has successfully completed the first university course on Tourism and International Cooperation for Development. The university course Tourism and International Cooperation for Development has been organized by UNWTO through the UNWTO.Themis Foundation, with contributions from the Universities of Valencia, Perpignan and Andorra. The course has been attended by more than 50 university students and professionals from Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela and Australia.
Tourism and International Cooperation for Development responds to a growing need to support development projects with applied knowledge, and not only financial or material assistance. University students have had the opportunity to gain first-hand experience with development programs (especially those based on tourism) and have been trained for participation in teams of volunteers, experts and donors working in the member countries of the World Tourism Organization and United Nations.
The course has been provided in the context of the UNWTO.TedQual Volunteers Programme, administered by the UNWTO.Themis Foundation. The most recent projects under this programme have been carried out in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Argentina and Mozambique. Activities are currently being prepared in Bolivia, Lesotho, Zambia, the Seychelles, Uruguay, China and Gabon.
More than 100 hours of theoretical/practical instruction have now been provided through this course, which has been held in Valencia (Spain), Carcassonne (France) and San Julià (Andorra). Graduates have the option of participating in volunteer and cooperation projects conducted by the World Tourism Organization and the UNWTO.Themis Foundation. They have also gained valuable qualifications for the purpose of applying to other development cooperation programmes of the United Nations and other national and international cooperation agencies.
A second edition of Tourism and International Cooperation for Development will be held next year, and may be expanded as a Masters programme combining university classroom and on-line instruction. To obtain information on the courses planned for 2008, please contact the UNWTO.Themis Foundation, using the attached pre-registration forms.
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