CAST Mozambique is a four-year initiative launched on April 1, 2023, and coordinated by the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems (under Prof. Dr. Claudia Dolezal) in partnership with Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) (under Dr. Helsio Azevedo). The project aims to enhance sustainable tourism practices in Mozambique through targeted capacity-building efforts in higher education. In its first year, the project has made significant progress, beginning with a formal kick-off meeting in April 2023, thereby setting the stage for the collaborative efforts that have characterized the project’s progress thus far.
One of the primary activities during this reporting period was the curriculum needs analysis conducted at the Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo de Inhambane (ESHTI) in Mozambique. This was done with the help of a survey distributed to academic staff at ESHTI, offering valuable insights into existing skills and training needs.
These findings are crucial for tailoring future training programs as part of CAST Mozambique to meet local needs effectively.
In addition to the needs analysis, ESHTI initiated a feasibility study to assess the national context for sustainable tourism, an ongoing activity that will provide further guidance for developing a sustainable tourism curriculum that aligns with Mozambique’s unique context.
In addition, stakeholder engagement was a key focus in the project's early stages, mainly to recruit stakeholders to participate in stakeholder consultations. This was initially scheduled for March 2024, however, due to changes in staffing, this consultation has been postponed to autumn 2024, allowing for even better preparation and greater participation.
Six partner meetings were organised and coordinated in year one, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration between the Austrian and Mozambican teams. To support project management, uniform templates for project management (e.g. including tracking work hours, finances etc.) were developed and shared with all team members. These tools have been instrumental in maintaining transparency and efficiency in project operations.
A significant achievement in the first year has been the creation of the project website, which is available in both English and Portuguese. The website was developed mainly to enhance dissemination efforts and to foster a sense of ownership amongst team members. It has already proven valuable in increasing the project's visibility within the academic community and beyond, for example, the Austrian newspaper “Der Standard” has published an entire page about the project both in print and online in the form of an interview with project lead Prof. Dr. Claudia Dolezal.
In addition to dissemination, a call for PhD proposals was issued, resulting in several applications from Mozambican candidates. The selection process included online interviews, resulting in a promising shortlisted candidate now hoping to register at a University in Vienna, to begin a PhD fully funded by APPEAR and in joint supervision with the IMC Krems.
Looking back at the first year, despite some minor delays and staff changes, CAST Mozambique is progressing very well. The groundwork laid in the first year, particularly in terms of the needs analysis and stakeholder engagement, provides a solid foundation for the project's continued success. As the project moves into its second year, the focus will shift towards developing the MA curriculum in sustainable tourism, deepening stakeholder involvement, and implementing capacity-building activities (some of which have already taken place in the meanwhile). To find out more about the project, its progress and latest activities, visit the CAST Mozambique website: https://cast-mozambique.fh-krems.ac.at/en_gb/
