This visit was a key step in building capacity and fostering collaboration between Austrian and Mozambican partners to advance sustainable rural tourism education in Mozambique.
Training Highlights
The training program was carefully designed 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:
• Teaching at Master's Level: Project leader Prof. Dr. Claudia Dolezal conducted sessions on effective teaching strategies for MA programs, focusing on interactive methods to engage students in higher education.
• Global Tourism Perspectives: Mozambican participants (Dr. Helsio Azevedo, Dr. Daniel Zacarias, Dr. Pelagio Maxlhaieie and Elodia Miguel) attended a couple Master's classes taught by Prof. Dr. Claudia Dolezal, offering firsthand insight into the structure and delivery of sustainable tourism topics at graduate level. They contributed with their own guest lectures on current topics relating to sustainable tourism in Mozambique, followed by discussions on teaching techniques.
• Lego Serious Play Workshop: Facilitated by Prof. Dr. Mattia Rainoldi, this workshop introduced participants to creative, hands-on teaching methods that foster critical thinking and collaboration.
• Developing MA Degrees in Higher Education: Prof. Christian Maurer provided valuable guidance on designing Master's programs, ensuring that they align with academic standards and industry needs.
• Efficient Project Management: Desiree Schnauer shared practical strategies for managing educational projects, covering the efficient tracking of project tasks, communication, and effective team coordination.
Field Visits: Learning from Austria's Best Practices
To complement the training, participants explored Austria’s rural tourism practices through field visits to local businesses. These served as an inspiration to develop new module ideas in Mozambique where students jointly develop sustainable rural tourism business ideas with local residents. The team visited “Marillen Weiss” (an apricot farm and business in Lower Austria) to learn about sustainable farming, local product marketing, and the potential for community-based agrotourism. The business demonstrated how fresh, locally grown products can contribute to both economic growth and the preservation of culture and family traditions. The group continued with a guided tour at Weingut Höllerer, a family-run winery in Lower Austria, where they gained insights into sustainable viticulture practices, innovative marketing strategies, and rural tourism integration.
Collaboration and Networking
During the visit, the Mozambican team further met with representatives from OeAD (Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation). Elke Stinnig introduced the group to further funding opportunities and provided insights into APPEAR's support mechanisms, enhancing participants’ understanding of project funding and management. A visit to the University of Vienna was further arranged to discuss the potential of jointly supervising a Mozambican PhD student as part of the APPEAR programme.
Outcomes and Future Directions
The June 2024 training and visit were highly impactful, providing Mozambican partners with practical tools, new perspectives, and collaborative opportunities. Participants returned to Mozambique with enhanced skills, teaching strategies, and a deeper understanding of how sustainable tourism practices can be integrated into education and rural development. 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 "Train the Trainers" workshop at ESHTI in November 2024. The CAST Mozambique project continues to pave the way for sustainable tourism education, empowering local communities and fostering meaningful international collaboration.
