Co-Hosts

The Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning (ILEN) is part of the Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) in Austria.

The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, the Alma Mater Viridis, perceives itself as a teaching and research center for renewable resources, which are necessary for human life. It is BOKU's objective to help make a considerable contribution to the conservation and protection of resources for future generations by providing diversity in its fields of study. Connecting natural sciences, engineering and social as well as economic sciences, we wish to increase knowledge of the ecologically and economically sustainable use of natural resources, to provide a harmoniously cultivated landscape.

In line with this mission, the Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning (ILEN) is involved in a variety of research fields, such as

  • Landscape ecology
  • Recreation planning
  • Nature-based tourism
  • Monitoring and management of visitors in recreational and protected areas
  • Landscape development
  • Conservation planning
Web: www.rali.boku.ac.at/en/ilen, www.boku.ac.at/en
For more than a century Colorado State University’s Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) has played a leadership role in research, teaching, training and technical assistance related to the understanding and management of the world’s natural resources. Within the college, the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department focuses on understanding and attending to the needs and values of humans, human society, and culture as it relates to the natural environment.

Faculty in the WCNR at CSU pioneered efforts in the study and application of human dimensions of natural resources (HDNR) in the early 1970’s and by 1992 they established a “Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Unit” which is now the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department.

The mission of the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department is to contribute to the conservation, stewardship and enjoyment of natural and cultural resources and the management of those resources in a way that produces both land health and sustainable human benefits.The Department offers an MS and a PhD in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. Four concentrations are offered in the undergraduate program: Protected Areas Management, Global Tourism, Natural Resource Tourism and Environmental Communication. The Department also offers a unique hybrid nine-month cohort-based Master of Tourism Management program.

Web: www.warnercnr.colostate.edu/hdnr
The Deggendorf Institute of Technology is located in the pulsating heart of Europe’s economy. Therefore, full-time undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses concentrate on educating students to meet the demands of national and global industries. All bachelor degrees are modern and relevant sandwich courses, meaning that students gain practical experience in the professional work place and make valuable business contacts throughout their studies.

Additionally, the university’s Career Service organizes a mentoring program, in which each student cooperates with a professional business mentor who supports them to achieve their professional goals and succeed in graduate level employment. This active promotion makes for an easy transition from academic to professional career, meaning the graduates are particularly successful in the job market.

The university has numerous partnerships with universities, research institutions and businesses, such as BMW, MAN, Continental, ZF and Siemens, around the world. In the university's applied research & development, a vast range of research topics lead to practical scientific solutions that are used to develop new, marketable products, processes and services for local and international enterprises.

Web: www.th-deg.de/en

The Institute of Ecomedicine (Head: Univ.-Doz. Dr. Arnulf Hartl, contact: arnulf.hartl@pmu.ac.at)

at the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg performs application-oriented research and development at the interface of economy, ecology and medicine and thus positions itself as a research and innovation platform for the integration of basic research in regional economic structures.

The research focuses on the influence of natural and socio-cultural environments and stimuli on the immunology, physiology and psychology of human beings as well as the development of innovative methodological applications for its measurement. One of the core tasks of the institute is the independent performance of clinical trials and basic research on the effectiveness of natural health resources for the prevention and healing of chronic and civilization diseases.

In this context, the Institute of Ecomedicine has conducted a range of randomized controlled clinical trials as a basis for evidence-based health tourism products, like e.g.

  • Hohe Tauern Health – Waterfall aerosol inhalation therapy for people with allergic and asthmatic diseases
  • Alpine Health Region SalzburgerLand
  • Lifetime Hotels – Hiking and coaching for the improvement of cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life
Current research projects focus a.o. on the influence of hiking and balneotherapy in Alpine healing waters on the immunosenescence and balance of elderly people (Jungbrunnen-BERG-study) and on the effects of hiking in different types of landscapes on human health and wellbeing.

Web: www.pmu.ac.at/ecomedicine
MODUL University Vienna is widely considered as Austria's leading international private university and is owned by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the largest provider of private education in Austria. The university campus is located on Kahlenberg, a scenic hill with a spectacular view of the capital of Austria. Founded in 1908, MODUL College is the vocational training school with the longest tradition in tourism and hospitality education worldwide. Since 2007, MODUL University Vienna has been offering cutting-edge education (BBA, BSc, MSc, MBA and PhD study programs) in the areas of international management, new media technology, public governance, sustainable development, and tourism and hospitality management.

Research and teaching at MODUL University is based on a unique multidisciplinary approach which provides an inter-cultural, research based learning experience for MU students. Our faculty includes leading Austrian and international research and teaching staff who actively participate in international scholarly and professional networks and are at the forefront of their field. Our study programs prepare students to best address the future needs of the global tourism industry. Students will gain state of the art management competencies and leadership skills to pursue international careers in the hospitality and tourism industry.

The University's Department of Tourism and Service Management and its faculty engages in a multitude of research areas, such as

  • Policy evaluation
  • Perspectives on tourism demand
  • Entrepreneurial challenges in fast-changing environments
  • Destination competitiveness and development
Web: www.modul.ac.at
The IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems specializes in providing university-level education with a strong international and practical focus. One of the major pillars of the University’s activities is an international outlook.

References from employers and graduates in Austria and abroad are testimony to the outstanding quality of the University’s Bachelor and Master full- and part-time degree programs in Business, Health Sciences and Life Sciences. Diversity is a major priority in our teaching program, and the IMC Krems uses a range of approaches, including small-group courses, project-based activities, workshops and outdoor training. The combination of academic and business-related expertise is the cornerstone of state-of-the-art teaching, and also plays a significant part in opening up excellent career prospects for students. A strong practical element is an integral part of our degree programs, and many students forge a relationship with their future employer during their internships.

The University’s Department of Business carries out work on a variety of specialist business topics, in each case focusing on interdisciplinary education, as well as research into modern management theories, the development of effective and innovative solutions and their direct implementation in companies, analysis of value added, and social research concentrating on corporate social responsibility. Currently, our main research projects are:

  • CSR and Innovation: Impact of corporate social responsibility on the different phases of the innovation process in small and medium companies.
  • Digital Business Transformation: Impact of technological innovation of the last 15 years on work and value creation in companies.
  • tourismFACTORY: Applied tourism research at an academic level, project development for tourism partners and support in the project implementation.
Web: www.fh-krems.ac.at/en/
The University of Derby’s reputation for industry-relevant degree programs offer their 34,000 students unparalleled opportunities to gain professional work experience alongside their studies. They’ve invested around £100 million over the past five years in some of the best university facilities you’ll find in the UK to ensure their students get the hands-on practical skills and experience employers are looking for.

The Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management courses are in the top 10 in the UK, as ranked by the Guardian University Guide 2017. Derby is accredited by the Tourism Management Institute and a member of the Institute of Travel & Tourism. The campus in Buxton sits on the edge of the Northern Powerhouse and the Peak District National Park, an area thriving with tourism businesses, providing unique opportunities for provides unparalleled opportunities for real world learning in Outdoor, Events, Hospitality, Tourism, Spa and Wellness.

Web: www.derby.ac.uk
Wuhan Branch of China Tourism Academy is approved and established by China National Tourism Administration and China Tourism Academy. It is the only branch established in a university. Wuhan Branch of China Tourism Academy is devoted to theoretical and practical research areas highlighting regional development, tourism resource development and protection, as well as tourism information technology. Wuhan Branch of China Academy has commissioned hundreds of state level, provincial level, and business research projects. It has played a leading role in tourism and regional development research, training, and technical support.

Meanwhile, the faculty of Wuhan Branch also take teaching responsibilities in the College of Urban and Environmental Science (CUES) of Central China Normal University (CCNU). CUES focuses on relationship and interaction research between humans and nature. It has undertaken a series of unique multidisciplinary academic and planning programs featuring tourism, geography, management, economics, ecology, and GIS, among others.

Web: www.english.ccnu.edu.cn