Quality Assurance Workshop – ECOViP Project held in Manila, Philippines

The workshop was attended directly by representatives of project members from Vietnamese and Philippine universities, including Nha Trang University - Project Coordinator; Can Tho University; University of Science - Thai Nguyen University; University of San Carlos, Philippines; Polytechnic University of the Philippines; Lyceum University of the Philippines, and indirect participation of representatives of European partners. As part of the work package of the ECOViP project - "Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of ecotourism to support sustainable development in Vietnam and the Philippines" - the workshop aimed to evaluate the progress of the ECOViP project, evaluate the project's activities such as summer camps, online courses, etc., and prepare to develop an action plan for the next phase of the project.

Representative of Nha Trang University presented at the workshop

During the workshop, Nha Trang University and the project member universities conducted several activities to assess the project's progress; report on activities carried out at the University; survey results and recommendations; policies to improve project activities in the coming time. Specifically, the activities assessed for quality include: online courses on entrepreneurship; startup competitions at educational institutions; startup summer camps in Batangas, Philippines in July 2024; and mentoring programs for student startup projects. In addition, attendees also had the opportunity to visit famous eco-tourism destinations in Manila and experience local cuisine and culture.

Overview of workshop activities

The “Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Ecotourism for Sustainable Development in Vietnam and the Philippines” (ECOViP) project is a co-funded Erasmus+ project to enhance entrepreneurship and innovation capacity to promote sustainable development in tourism in Vietnam and the Philippines. The ECOViP project will be implemented for 36 months, from May 2023 to May 2026, aiming to improve the quality of higher education and the competitiveness of human resources; increase the qualifications, professional skills, and employability of students; and encourage cooperation and exchange of initiatives and experiences between educational institutions and organizations.

The Project’s action plan is aligned with the priorities of both countries to improve the employability and entrepreneurship of students after graduation; and promote tourism recovery from the severe impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (in particular by promoting more sustainable tourism development ideas).