INNOVATUR – IO1: Sourcebook of Innovative Higher Education Approach towards Smart and Sustainable Tourism (SSmT)

Initially a survey and analysis on the current programs offered by higher education institutions worldwide in the field of smart and sustainable tourism will be undertaken. Subsequently innovative teaching methods and tools will be taken for consideration by higher education institutions in the field of smart and sustainable tourism. Specific cases can be explored here to illustrate the analysis with examples. Furthermore, recommendations and guidelines for the academic staff on how to use and maximize the benefits from each proposed teaching method and tool in their teaching activities will be explored.

Some topics that will be addressed:

  • Curricular analysis: overview of study programs currently offered by higher education institutions that are oriented to tourism and how they address sustainable development and the adoption of smart technologies.
  • Outcomes of brainstorming sessions on how to reorient academic curricula to better meet current challenges of communities less benefited from sustainable principles and smart technologies applied in local tourism services (e.g. community-based tourism destinations).
  • Innovative teaching techniques and tools for sustainable and smart tourism.
  • Assessment of Learning outcomes from proposed innovative teaching techniques and tools.
  • Extra-curricular activities oriented to sustainable and smart tourism fostered by higher education institutions on voluntary basis under teacher sponsorship or supervision or student-led initiatives. Extra-curricular   activities   can   focus   on   sustainability, addressing environmental, social and economic concerns of the community in the context of tourism development.

Expected impact and transferability potential:

This sourcebook is expected to provide a valuable insight to the academic staff involved in the teaching activities of any study programs in higher education related to tourism and to inspire them for a change to a modern approach by addressing increasingly relevant topics by means of innovative teaching methodologies and tools that can contribute to the improvement of learning outcomes of students.

The means of implementation of recommended innovative teaching methodologies and tools and extra-curricular activities can be transferable to other universities engaged in higher education in the field of tourism.

In order to enhance the motivation and engagement of the academic staff involved in higher education of tourism the content of the sourcebook will be adapted into an e-learning platform containing the most relevant parts of the sourcebook and supporting webinars and quizzes to control the progress of participants in the learning process.