Список литературы

1. Именнова Л.С. Музейная дестинация в системе культурного туризма: социокультурный анализ. – М.: Логос, 2011. – 228 с.

Образовательные аспекты развития туризма на основе культурных ценностей

UNIVERSITY COOPERATION IN EDUCATION AND TOURISM

DEVELOPMENT

Jorma Korhonen, Senior Lecturer, Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Tarja Kupiainen, Principal Lecturer North Karelia University of Applied Sciences

The report is based on the keynote speech of Principal Lecturer Tarja Kupiainen, North Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Joensuu, Finland and Senior Lecturer Jorma Korhonen, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Kuopio, Finland in the International Scientific and Practical Conference, Northern Tourist Destinations as a Dominant of Tourism Development in the North-Western Region 1.12.2011 in Petrozavodsk. North-Karelia University of Applied Sciences and Savonia University of Applied Sciences work in the strategic alliance called ISAT, which is used in the article.

Firstly, the both Universities of Applied Sciences are presented in the article, secondly the strategic alliance ISAT is presented and thirdly the newest concept Summer School in Petrozavodsk is presented. The Summer School in Petrozavodsk is implemented in cooperation with two partners from Petrozavodsk; Petrozavodsk State University, tourism department and Petrozavodsk State Conservatory. Finally, the report discusses as conclusions possibilities to develop tourism in university cooperation in education.

NORTH KARELIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (NKUAS)

NKUAS in General

The North Karelia University of Applied Sciences (NKUAS) is the easternmost university in the European Union and is maintained by the city of Joensuu. It provides education as a part of the European and national system of high education. The NKUAS started in 1992 among the first universities of applied sciences in Finland. Its education provides an efficient high-quality answer to the growing demand for an expert labour force. The goal is to respond to the demands of modern working life with excellence and efficiency.

The number of students is approximately 4 000, and the number of staff is 400. Every year approximately one thousand new students are rolled in the NKUAS’s seven fields of education and in its degree programmes, which are currently 18 in number. Since the autumn of 2009, all degree programmes of North Karelia University of Applied Sciences take place in Joensuu. The activities are concentrated in five multi-field centres, which are the Centres for Natural Resources, Business and Engineering, Creative Industries, Design and International Business, and the Centre for Social Services and Heath Care.

The Degree Programme in Tourism is a part of the Centre for Creative Industries together with the Degree Programmes in Communication, Music, and Business Information Technology. The collaboration between the degree programmes enables a wide range of development projects. For example, the Centre for Creative Industries is a partner of a multinational project with the aim to support tourism industry in the peripheral regions of European Union by enhancing the visitor experience in cultural and natural heritage destinations with the help of mobile and location based multimedia information services.

Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) in NKUAS

Education, research and regional development work are the main tasks of the North Karelia University of Applied Sciences. The NKUAS is integral in diverse regional development processes through the different Centre of Excellence Programmes and as a conductor of various important regional, national and international projects. In 2010, the NKUAS launched the Development and Service Centre to upgrade its RDI services.

The topics for the research and development activities associate with regional, national and international trends with the practical objective to overcome challenges in the regional business structures, and the welfare system. They are also related to the NKUAS main strengths and primary areas of expertise. The NKUAS is deploying its research and development activities in several key areas of regional expertise, which include stone industry, catering and domestic services, forestry, plastic and metal industries, health services, information technology and mobile communications, travel and tourism, and media.

Research and development activities are implemented in collaboration between the experts, students and teachers of the NKUAS and representatives of corporate life. Indeed, it should be pointed out that most NKUAS students participate actively in various RDI projects as a regular part of their studies. Students are also encouraged to develop their entrepreneurial skills, and many establish their own companies after completing their studies.

The NKUAS research, development and innovation activities continue to produce new operative models, products, services and business initiatives for the partners. Recent examples and RDI results include a unique precision technology laboratory, the development of programming competences in the game industry, new mobile applications and 3D4K cinematic technology, innovative material development for musical instruments, business initiatives in renewable energy solutions, the development of competences and service business in health care and social services, competence in user-driven product and services design and usability.

Centre for Creative Industries: Competence in Creative Economy and Experience Industry

The Centre for Creative Industries is a unique combination of different fields in education. The centre consists of two fields of study related to creative economy and experience services, and it supplies education in four degree programmes: Tourism, Media and Communications, Music, and Business Information Technology. These fields and programmes produce new openings in creative economy at regional, national and international levels. The centre provides university level education and participates in regional, national and international RDI activities.

Collaboration between the centre’s degree programmes allows for fresh and flexible solutions to meet the demands of corporate life. Within the centre, this co-operation unfolds as multidisciplinary educational, developmental and regional work under the cross-cutting theme of multimedial experience services. For example, new kinds of customer-oriented marketing materials and products have been created as a result of the centre’s co-operation with regional tourism operators. These marketing materials consist of several advertising short films, which are directed towards international tourists, developed especially in one of the centre’s student’s thesis. The case illustrates well the current state of integration of studies and the RDI activities. The theme of multimedial experience services was accomplished as a space, where customers can experience outdoor activities through interactive technology by staying indoors. Presently, intelligent mobile routing and location based services of cultural and natural resorts in North Karelia’s peripheral communities are tested and produced in the framework of an international RDI project.

Internationality is one of the basic competences in the NKUAS, and particularly cross-border collaboration is of a great importance. The NKUAS is a partner in two cross-border ENPI projects targeted to develop tourism industries in Russian Karelia and Eastern Finland which will commence in 2012: “Contemporary Old City: Enhancing Cultural Tourism Across the Border” and “Product Development and Development of Market Insight and E-marketing of Rural and Nature Tourism in Border Regions”.

SAVONIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

Savonia in General

Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Savonia) is an institution of higher education. It is founded, like any other Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland, in 1992. Savonia operates in three locations: Iisalmi, Kuopio and Varkaus and it is run by the Municipal Federation of Savonia. Number of students is approximately 6 500 and number of staff approximately 560.

Savonia has totally 35 degree programs; 27 Bachelor’s degrees and 8 Master’s Degrees in three faculties. The faculties in Savonia are: Faculty of Social Services, Health Care and Rural Industries, Faculty of Business, Tourism and Culture and Faculty of Engineering. The Faculty of Business, Tourism and Culture consists of education of Business administration, Tourism and Catering and Culture. School of Tourism and Catering provides the students with wide range of knowledge of tourism management, leadership and tourism business. Internationality is one of the key elements of the education as well as work in tourism and hospitality development projects.

Competence Based Strategy

Savonia vision 2012 is:

Savonia is a brave innovator and cooperative developer of future expertise.

The strategy is based on three know-how areas, which are: Technology and Environment knowhow, Welfare knowhow and Business Administration and Culture knowhow.

Savonia has from the very beginning of its foundation devoted itself to quality. This devotion has also produced results. The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council has rewarded Savonia University of Applied Sciences three times with the title of centre of excellence. In addition Savonia has been rewarded twice by the Finnish Entrepreneurship and Innovation Network for Higher Education.

Quality and the concern for quality are the responsibility of all in Savonia. All of the functions and employees of Savonia are committed to high quality work. Quality assurance is a priority for the whole organization - it is a common objective and part of the working culture. Quality control is based on Savonia.s comprehensive perspectives of quality management.

RDI Work in Savonia

RDI Work includes research, development and innovation. Savonia actively serves the working life in the region. RDI work offers expertise and tailor-made problem-solving to enterprises and public organizations. Our key success factors are collaboration, networking, and international perspective.

Savonia has three Networks of RDI Competence:

• welfare products and services

• energy, environment and safety

• integrated product development

RDI works are connected with the region with relevant research and development networks. Most RDI

projects respond to practical research and development needs of companies and organizations. The results benefit the working communities as well as the learning and teaching at Savonia. RDI works are implemented also in cross-border-cooperation.

ISAT PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY 2011-2012

ISAT (Universities of Applied Sciences in Eastern Finland) is an evolving partnership between the North Karelia University of Applied Sciences and the Savonia University of Applied Sciences. The partnership was established in September 2008, and ISAT partnership cover 10 000 students, 1000 staff members and an annual combined budget of 100 million euros.

The aim of the ISAT partnership is to produce competitiveness and well-being for the Finnish people, especially in the Eastern Finland. In addition to education, the ISAT objectives include research, development and innovation (RDI). ISAT has also a regionally influential co-operative relationship with the University of Eastern Finland. An important target of the ISAT partnership is the strengthening of cross-border collaboration between Finland and Russia.

The common focus areas in the ISAT partnership are:

• decentralised energy solutions on renewable energy

• to support local economy and entrepreneurship, and to offer new business opportunities

• well-being services and products, including education and RDI in well-being with special emphasis on the accessibility of well-being services, especially electric and mobile services, in a loosely populated area

• general expertise pertaining to Russia

• to develop expertise pertaining to tourism in Russia in the following sub-fields:

  • educational organization

  • business cooperation

  • development of education in tourism

  • sale of education services

  • productisation, service and business expertise in tourism.

One result of the ISAT partnership is the concept of the international school on tourism. Its pilot was implemented during the year of 2011 under a title of “Summer School”.

THE SUMMER SCHOOL CONCEPT

Organization of the Summer School 2011

The Summer School Concept is the first educational case of ISAT cooperation with the Russian partnership. The Summer School 2011 was implemented in cooperation with Petrozavodsk State University and Petrozavodsk State Conservatory as a pilot case to develop new educational initiatives in tourism. The concept itself was innovative: this was the first time, when both tourism students and music students from each university worked together as intercultural teams. The teams consisted of six tourism students and four music students from Savonia (Kuopio), six tourism students and two music students from the NKUAS (Joensuu), six tourism students from the Petrozavodsk State University and six music students from the Petrozavodsk State Conservatory. The multi-faculty, multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams were both rewarding and challenging to tutor, and they provided excellent results.

The students worked as three international teams and there were ten students of different educational backgrounds in each team. Each team had an assignment to produce a plan for a musical tourism event or a mini festival in some location in Eastern Finland or in Karelia. The idea was that each student would bring her/his special expertise in the planning. There would be tourism students with expertise in developing tourism events and managing a project together with music students who would be responsible in planning content for the event.

Summer School 2011 implementation

The teaching and tutoring methods were original in the Summer School 2011. After the selections of student participants from each university, orientation sessions in Finnish and Russian universities were implemented. During the orientations, the teams were built up and the assignment was given. After that the teams started to work in social media during the summer. Moodle platform as well as other social media tools, for example Facebook and Google docs were available for the students.

The program of Summer School 2011 included also two intensive weeks. The first one was organized in Petrozavodsk 29.8.-3.9.2011, and the second one in Kuopio and Joensuu 3.-7.10.2011. During the intensive weeks the students got more familiar with each other and continued working in teams to produce event plans. They also had an opportunity to get familiar with Russian and Finnish cultures during the intensive weeks, and the excursions to different tourism locations were organized. In Petrozavodsk there were also lectures by teachers and other experts.

Summer School 2011 outputs

The teams produced three event plans: Fuel, Family Day and Russian Cruise on Kallavesi. The event “Fuel” is a Karelian music event with fire. It was planned to execute in Joensuu, Ilosaari in the end of August. A very famous group Skylark from Petrozavodsk was suggested to be in charge of music. According to the plan, the fire show on the lake will be organized simultaneously with the Skylark live music. The event “Family day” is located in Kuopio by the lake Kallavesi. In the event both Finnish and Russian music and different kinds of activities for children and families are organized. The third event “Russian Cruise on Kallavesi” takes place during the Kuopio Wine Festival in the beginning of July. During the cruise Russian music, cultural program, food and drinks are offered.

The Closing seminar in Joensuu concentrated on the event plans, which the student teams had developed during and after the intensive week in Petrozavodsk. The event plans were evaluated not only by the teachers but also by experts of tourism event business: Tarja Harinen, Sales Manager of the Karelia Expert, and Markku Pyykkonen, Director of the Ilosaarirock Festival, one of the biggest music festivals in Finland. Markku Pyykkonen is also the Executive Director of Joensuu Pop Musicians Association. The students received good feedback both from the experts and the teachers. Of course, the plans need to be developed further, but all of them were ideas, which could be realized. The event plan “Fuel” was voted as the best plan. The idea to connect music and fire was founded rewarding and innovative, and the planned time for execution, in the end of August, was considered grounded.

Summer School 2011 Conclusions

The pilot Summer School 2011 was successful although there are aspects worth developing. The Summer School 2011 was a very good possibility for the students to get familiar with different cultures and different people; their intercultural communication skills and their cultural tolerance developed. At the same time the Summer School offered a different and versatile way to learn. The professional skills of the students developed both in professional and cultural points of views.

The next Summer School is now under consideration to implement already in the spring term 2012. Some aspects in implementation are to be developed. The team building has to be done more detailed both in Russian and Finnish universities as well as within the total student group (teams). It is also important to give enough time for the teamwork, and a more detailed assignment will be given to all students simultaneously. This will assure that every student understands the assignment the same way, therefore, teamwork will be easier. Also programmes of the intensive weeks need to be developed: more time to team works and students discussions will be organized. The students had possibilities to develop their multicultural communication skills, to expand professional skills of music and tourism students and to combine music and tourism in a productive way in the Summer School 2011. The targets were achieved well. Both Finnish and Russian students gave feedback of the course. Russian students’ opinions of the assignment and of the time in use indicate the need to develop them:

“At first the task was not clear. There should be more detailed information about what we’re going to create”

“We had too little time for making presentation and no time at all to have some rehearsal.

Similar opinions had the Finnish students:

“Team building was organized not well. Team building is needed locally on both side of the border and within the groups”

Orientation and tutoring must be more clear and must be given everyone at the same time

The pilot Summer School 2011 was implemented successfully and the experiences and feedbacks will take care of in planning and implementing the new one. The target is to develop the Summer School as an annual course between the partner universities under a title of International School on Cultural Tourism.

CONCLUSIONS

The report presents North Karelia University of Applied Sciences and Savonia University of Applied Sciences and their functions in education and RDI (Research, Development and Innovation). The strategic alliance ISAT between above mentioned Universities of Applied Sciences is also presented as well as the first educational cooperation, Summer School concept. The pilot multi-faculty and multi-cultural implementation was called Summer School 2011.

All the university partners involved in the Summer School 2011 have had long and reliable relationships already before the Summer School 2011. The Petrozavodsk State Conservatory entered the partnership as a new partner. Participation of the Petrozavodsk State Conservatory made the partnership to broaden to a different field. Cooperation between the partners was practical and reliable.

The seminar discussed tourism development from different points of view. Scientific research is needed in tourism development as well as other surveys and reports, which give information and tools to tourism development work. Development projects in different networks are efficient and fruitful way to develop tourism. Both Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences have a long experience in implementing such projects funded by EU (Interreg program and TACIS program). Contemporary the funding program is ENPI program, which can be used. The start of the ENPI program has been slow and therefore there are not so many programs going on at the moment. Evaluation of tourism development project applications to be funded is now going on. Experience of the partners is a resource to implement projects.

Beside tourism development projects there are also other possibilities to cooperate with universities in tourism development. Joint courses like Summer School concept, presented in the report, can be made also in other branches like cultural tourism. Also case studies in a small scale can be implemented in different courses between the partner universities. Students’ practical training including development project is one possibility to add cooperation. Studies and reports can be done as students’ work as final year thesis.

As described there are lots of possibilities to do cooperation between universities and other actors in the field of tourism development. Cooperation creates activity from all actors. Constant contact keeping is essential. Same kind of development topics can be merged to one bigger development project. The universities need commissions from the field. Work based on commission is easier to formulate and to plan, which courses the work can be included. Also scheduling is essential. Timing can be difficult, when the courses are implemented at certain time and a need could be at different time. But by reserving and giving time to implement the work makes student work possible.

Sources

1. Presentation materials of ISAT project Presentation materials of North Karelia University of Applied Sciences

2. Presentation materials of Savonia University of Applied Sciences

3. Summer School 2011 documents