To strengthen collaboration with industry companies and organizations and to discuss how to jointly develop a modern tourism education offering, an interactive seminar titled "Future Paths of Tourism Education" was held at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences on 3 April 2025. The workshop brought together 17 organizations from all regions of Latvia.
The event began with a presentation on tourism study opportunities at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, introducing participants to current projects and research in the tourism sector and their practical application. Attendees learned about projects such as CirToS, Change(K)now!, Life LatViaNature, Interactive Gardens, and SIPAS. The university students also provided insights into how industry collaboration is integrated into their studies, for example, through joint activities such as hackathons.
The second part of the event featured a workshop titled "Towards Tourism Education in Collaboration", organized in the framework of the SIPAS project (Promoting Sustainability and Technology in Tourism, Hospitality, and Service Studies through Strategic Industry Partnerships). Within the SIPAS project, all participating universities - in Latvia, Portugal, and India - are hosting meetings with industry representatives to evaluate existing collaborations and develop new ideas for improving cooperation between universities and the industry. This includes discussions on new tourism courses developed within the SIPAS project. The workshop focused on generating ideas and solutions that benefit all parties, covering aspects such as study content, collaboration, and resource sharing.
As a result of the workshop and discussions, industry stakeholders and collaboration partners shared their perspectives on improving cooperation with the university. Recommendations were provided, and barriers were discussed regarding how to ensure more effective communication of research results, improve the internship process and study content, and provide better feedback to the industry on various university initiatives. A key takeaway from the workshop was that collaboration should bring mutual benefits to both involved parties.
