International Experience Program: East Timor
Faculty of Science
School of Environmental Sciences
Topic Area: tourism and resource management - Proposed 2013 program
Program Dates: August 2013 - exact dates to be confirmed
Program Cost: Approx. $1800.00* (All Inclusive) Costing now being revised
*Students may be eligible to receive a $500 Vice Chancellor Travel Grant. Please note: this funding is not awarded directly to students but will be deducted from the program costings.
Number: 17 students (accompanied by CSU academic)
Eligibility & Credit: SCI301: B Applied Sc Adventure Ecotourism/ Parks Rec and Heritage or Environ Science 8 subject points SCI301
Application Due Date: May 2013 - exact date TBC
Students Notified: May 2013 - exact date TBC
Payment Date: June 2013 - exact date TBC
Please contact Rik for an application form or further program details:
Dr. Rik Thwaites
Lecturer
School of Environmental Sciences
Charles Sturt University
Elizabeth Mitchell Drive
Albury-Wodonga NSW 2640
Email: rthwaites@csu.edu.au
Indicative Program Outline
Students will learn about eco tourism and resource management at Tua Koin with possible homestay.
Tua Koin is a simple and attractive model of eco-tourism which aims to minimize the negative impacts of tourism and maximize the positive benefits for local communities.
Tua Koin is managed and operated by Roman Luan, an Atauro Island community organization, and through Roman Luan, all profits go into community projects which are developing ecologically appropriate community managed tourism on the island.
The island of Atauro, just off the coast of Dili, is facing various threats from large-scale tourism and the risk of environmental degradation as the population grows. http://www.atauroisland.com/
ACF have supported Roman Luan, a community based NGO on Atauro who are working with the community to better manage their natural resources as well as to make informed decisions about appropriate levels of tourism for the island.
A coordinated approach to resource management will not only help meet the immediate needs of the Atauro people, it will ensure that these resources remain intact for upcoming generations.
Student will also visit and learn community tourism and the Haburas Foundation.
The Haburas Foundation is the oldest and most active national environmental group in Timor Leste. Haburas uses a wide network of local community groups and relies on traditional Timorese culture to promote better environmental management practices that also respond to the developmental needs of local communities.
Haburas carries out initiatives in sectors such as forest management, coastal area protection, ethical tourism, energy management and environmental education.