In November 2024 CAST Mozambique achieved a significant milestone by hosting a comprehensive training programme and study visit for some of the Austrian project members and the OeAD at the Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo de Inhambane (ESHTI) and the Cooperation Office in Maputo, both forming part of the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), Mozambique.
Field trips to rural areas and associations
The first and second day of the visit were dedicated to visiting local communities and tourism destinations at Tofo Beach. The main objective was to meet and interact with some of the organized groups in the community that engage in tourism, mainly to understand how commercial relations are established between producers and the tourism sector, as well as to analyse the production process and the main benefits generated by tourism. For this purpose, four places were selected for visit: the Josina Machel Pottery Association, the Kuvuneka Agricultural Association, the Guiua Agricultural Fair and the Inhambane Central Market.
Stakeholder consultations within the framework of the proposal for a master's degree in sustainable tourism and local development
Two workshops were organized, one in Inhambane and the other one in Maputo in order to present the first draft of the Master's degree curriculum in Sustainable Tourism and Local Development. Both consultations began with the presentation of the proposal by the Mozambican team, followed by the methodology proposed by the Austrian team, consisting of the key qualification requirements for students. The main objective of these discussions was to contribute to strengthening local skills in the tourism sector to guarantee local development and promote the sustainability and competitiveness of local communities and businesses. In total, 62 people participated, representing the project team, the OeAD (Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation), other members of Eduardo Mondlane University, public institutions, the private sector, associations and non-governmental organizations, and others.
Training Highlights
The training, conducted on 19 and 20 November, was carefully designed by the Austrian team to equip Mozambican educators with the skills and knowledge required to develop and deliver a Master's curriculum in Sustainable Tourism. It included a series of specialized workshops and hands-on learning experiences led by IMC faculty and project experts. The following workshops took place:
Increased engagement with rural communities and awareness of sustainable tourism, rural tourism, and conservation: led by Giancarlo Fedeli, the training presented and proposed subjects and curriculum ideas that are based on community collaborations and joint projects between community, industry, academia and students.
Master’s level teaching and curriculum development: led by Christian Maurer, the training provided evidence and support in Master’s delivery and development to enhance the quality of Master’s programmes and to better prepare faculty for advanced teaching roles.
Enhanced technology skills for online platforms and interactive tools: led by Mattia Rainoldi, this session focused on technology integration into teaching to improve digital literacy and foster participatory learning environments.
Research presentation and publishing: led by Mattia Rainoldi, Giancarlo Fedeli and Christian Maurer, this session shared experiences around academic publishing, conferences, and mentorship in research presentations to build confidence in these critical areas.
Collaboration and Networking
During the visit a representative from OeAD (Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation), Elke Stinnig introduced the OeAD goals and further funding opportunities to both project team and ESHTI lectures and provided insights into APPEAR's support mechanisms, enhancing participants’ understanding of project funding and management. She also shared this information with the Eduardo Mondlane University Dean of Cooperation Office and his team. Christian Maurer further discussed the opportunity for lectures and students to take part in ISCONTOUR, an annual student conference that is jointly organized by IMC Krems and MCI Innsbruck, forming an integral part of the last year of CAST Mozambique’s project activities.
Outcomes and Future Directions
The November 2024 training and visit were highly impactful, providing Mozambican partners with practical tools, new perspectives, and collaborative opportunities. Participants returned to Austria with a better understanding of the Mozambican reality to promote rural tourism and with the mission of contributing directly to the design of a Master's curriculum proposal that will be useful for local development, respecting the interests of the different stakeholders. This visit not only strengthened academic and professional ties between Austrian and Mozambican partners but also laid the groundwork for further capacity-building initiatives, including the Master‘s Curriculum in Tourism and Sustainable Local Development. In this vein, the CAST Mozambique project will continue to pave the way for sustainable tourism education, empowering local communities and fostering meaningful international collaboration.
If you want to know more about CAST Mozambique, visit the website via https://cast-mozambique.imc.ac.at/en_gb/ or get in touch with the project leader Prof. (FH) Dr. Claudia Dolezal: claudia.dolezal@imc.ac.at
