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Description
Háskólafélag Suðurlands (Centrum Uniwersyteckie) jest własnością wszystkich 14 gmin w południowej Islandii i ma na celu poprawę dostępu do edukacji, głównie szkolnictwa wyższego, poprzez kształcenie na odległość z różnych uniwersytetów, zachęcanie do prowadzenia badań na tym obszarze i pracę nad projektami rozwoju regionalnego. Jednym z pierwszych projektów była budowa geoparku we wschodniej części obszaru. Katla Geopark został formalnie założony w 2010 r., a w 2012 r. udało się uzyskać grant IPA na rozwój geoparku. Od 2015 roku Háskólafélag Suðurlands nie jest bezpośrednio zaangażowany w codzienne funkcjonowanie geoparku, ale zasiada w zarządzie Katla Geopark od 2010 roku, a od 2011 roku jest jednym z dwóch członków Komitetu Koordynacyjnego Europejskiej Sieci Geoparków. Pan Sigurður Sigursveinsson, Dyrektor Háskólafélag Suðurlands i jeden z uczestników tego projektu, jest bezpośrednio związany z Katla Geopark od 2009 roku.
Centrum Uniwersyteckie oraz Geopark UNESCO Katla posiadają duże doświadczenie w zarządzaniu geodziedzictwem na Islandii i od lat praktykują metody geoedukacji z dużym sukcesem.
Summary of project results
The project was dedicated to geotourism and geoparks, which are currently developing dynamically in various countries around the world and are an important area of issues for UNESCO. The key to this activity is the use of geoheritage in a sustainable way, preserving and protecting its values, and at the same time involving local communities. There is a need to implement these ideas also in Poland.
The project concerns quality development in the education sector, in particular in education related to Earth and environmental sciences. An important element for the proper functioning of the geotourism sector and the organization of geopark areas are professionals with appropriate knowledge and skills, therefore the main goal of the project was to provide it with specific competences.
Goal was achieved by preparing a new educational offer. It includes a new curriculum, teaching materials and training program. The biggest challenge was to develop a complementary offer that met national requirements, but above all, international standards based on the UNESCO program for the development of Earth sciences and geoparks. For this purpose, the AGH academic centre (AGH University of Krakow) started cooperation with existing UNESCO geoparks in the country (Holy Cross Mountains Geopark) and in Iceland (Geopark Katla), as well as with a university centre in Iceland (University Centre of South Iceland - Háskólafélag Suðurlands). As part of the partnership cooperation, a 2-semester postgraduate study program was developed with full accompanying documentation, teaching materials in the form of an e-book and a guide for field activities, and training was conducted for Polish educational staff in the field of activities of UNESCO world geoparks
Thanks to interinstitutional cooperation, which resulted in the creation of new educational products developed in Polish and English and published in open resources, it is possible to freely disseminate and use it in full or modified form to conduct courses, training and other forms of teaching in the field of creating, managing and protecting geoheritage and the development of geoparks. The group of recipients of this offer is wide, it is dedicated to everyone interested in geotourism activities, in particular students, teachers, guides, local government employees and tourist organizations.
Summary of bilateral results
The partner in the project from the Donor countries was the University Center of South Iceland (Háskólafélag Suðurlands), cooperating with Katla Geopark - UNESCO World Geopark, which are experienced units in geotourism and geopark activities. Cooperation was crucial for the implementation of the project and was the basis for developing its effects, which in their current version can be implemented in various countries, not only in Poland. Contacts with a foreign partner and, above all, participation in a training in Iceland for Polish educational and local government staff allowed the acquisition of new competences. It provided an opportunity to learn about the specificity of work in another European area and allowed us to develop a different perspective on the geotourism and geoparks. The cooperation resulted in the development of new results of intellectual work - a postgraduate study program and teaching materials. A valuable element of cooperation for Polish staff was the opportunity to observe the mechanisms and tools that are used in the implementation of geotourism and geoparks in the Icelandic area, where the idea has been developed and is implemented successfully. It was extremely important to learn about the good practices developed in the partner''s country and share experience, including extensive cooperation with local communities for the sustainable development of the region. International cooperation, in addition to broadening horizons and acquiring new competences, also resulted in the establishment of good cooperation relationships, friendships and the wish to maintain them. Therefore, we plan to continue it both in postgraduate studies and other activities related to geotourism and geoparks.