As part of our mission to foster sustainable production and consumption practices, energy and resource efficiency, and environmental consciousness, the PERETO project has successfully initiated a two-day training program for university educators in the field of "Tourism" at Issyk-Kul. The training aims to equip educators with essential knowledge on energy and resource efficiency fundamentals, enhancing the integration of sustainable principles into tourism education.
Promoting Sustainable Tourism Education: Integral to the PERETO project's objectives is the integration of sustainable production and consumption principles, energy and resource efficiency, into the tourism education sector. Leveraging expert guidance, one of our initial achievements involved collaborating with the Academy of Tourism. Since September 2022, the university has incorporated topics on energy efficiency, green technologies, and finance into its curriculum. Osh State University, as our second partner university, has also updated its tourism curriculum to include relevant sustainability themes.
Expanded Educational Collaborations: Today, the PERETO project has expanded its geographical reach for educational collaborations throughout Kyrgyzstan, actively supporting six universities:
- Academy of Tourism
- Osh State University
- Bishkek State University named after K. Karasaev
- Naryn State University named after S. Naamatov
- Issyk-Kul State University named after K. Tynystanov
- Kyrgyz Economic University named after M. Ryskulbekov
Capacity-Building Activities: From November 2022 to April 2023, the project's experts engaged with faculty members in these universities, conducting meetings and delivering guest lectures on targeted topics for students. This capacity-building initiative empowered academic staff and inspired students with valuable insights on sustainability practices in the tourism and HoReCa sectors.
The training for university educators serves as a pivotal opportunity to provide comprehensive information, materials, and practical resources on energy and resource-efficient measures, sustainable production, and consumption in the domains of tourism and HoReCa. Through expert guidance, the training endeavors to facilitate the integration of green themes into the curricula and educational processes, nurturing stronger collaboration between academia and the business sector. Ultimately, this alignment will enhance the relevance of tourism education, ensuring it meets market demands and aligns with current industry standards.
"The two-day training for university educators aims to provide information, materials, and practical resources on energy and resource-efficient measures, sustainable production, and consumption in the tourism and HoReCa sectors. We believe that with expert support and educational initiatives, PERETO facilitates the seamless integration of green themes into the academic process and fosters collaboration between academia and businesses," highlighted Maxat Damir uulu, Project Manager of PERETO.
"PERETO has become a bridge connecting us, universities, and businesses, as the project works closely with small and medium-sized enterprises in the hospitality sector and understands their needs for skilled professionals. All of this is done to ensure that the competencies and skills of students align with market demands," shared Estebes kyzı Zhazgul, lecturer at Kyrgyz Economic University named after M. Ryskulbekov. Engineer and PERETO expert, Zhanibek Kulumbetov, emphasized, "PERETO acts as a catalyst for collaboration between academia and businesses."
These joint initiatives with Kyrgyzstan's universities exemplify PERETO's commitment to sustainable tourism education and environmental awareness.