Integration of Sustainability and Sustainable Tourism
Three Levels of Comparison
What is the level of integration and impact of sustainability initiatives within the strategic documents of the university and how do these initiatives align with the broader goals of environmental, social and economic sustainability?
UASB
Sustainability has been an integral part of the UASB Group’s Strategy 2020 agenda and was further developed during a series of workshops in autumn 2020. As a result, sustainability vision and values were operationalized into nine core areas, with each core area having a mission statement and strategic objectives: 1) Leadership Culture, 2) Sustainable (Digital) Infrastructure, 3) Awareness Building for a Sustainable Future in Teaching, Research, Administration, Management and Service 4) Ecologisation and Sustainable Resource Use, 5) Social Responsibility, Gender, and Diversity Management, 6) Corporate Health Promotion, 7) Sustainability-Oriented Research Projects, 8) Responsible Procurement and Supply Chains, 9) Cooperations to Achieve Sustainability Goals
UKLO
The mission statement of UKLO strives for the development and progress of society. The University aims to be socially proactive and responsible, responding to needs and creating high-quality and professional staff in accordance with contemporary needs and challenges. UKLO is a strategic, international, regional and national academic partner, focused on students in a dedicated, responsible, quality and sustainable manner. Sustainability as a concept is thus even integrated into its mission statement. The main principles of UKLO are transparency (public availability of all its actions), inclusivity (equality of all human resources), proactivity (engagement in different social activities) and subsidiarity (autonomy and cooperation of the units/faculties). The sustainability concept is evident in these principles. The strategic goals of UKLO include internationalisation, digitalisation, and projects obtained through cooperation with all stakeholders (business sector, institutions, civic society).
To what extent are principles and practices of sustainable tourism incorporated into study degree programmes?
UASB
The Bachelor’s in International Sustainable Business provides the most comprehensive education in sustainability across all business functions, while other programmes treat sustainability more selectively, particularly in niche areas like tourism or specific industries.Only the Bachelor’s in International Business Relations and the Master’s in International Business Relations directly address sustainable tourism, though these are optional specialisations. The other programmes touch on sustainability in ways that are relevant to tourism (e.g., eco-friendly practices, social diversity), but sustainable tourism itself is not a core focus. All programmes address ESG criteria to some degree, but the Bachelor’s in International Sustainable Business and the Master’s in European Studies – Management of EU Projects stand out for their broad and integrated approach to ESG, making these programmes more adaptable to the growing emphasis on sustainability in various industries, including tourism. The emphasis on diversity, inclusion and gender sensitivity in programmes like the Master’s in Human Resource Management and Labour Law and the Bachelor’s in International Business Relations highlights their commitment to social sustainability, which is essential for creating equitable and inclusive tourism environments. In summary, while all programmes address sustainability in some form, the degree to which sustainable tourism is incorporated varies. Programmes focused on international business, such as the Bachelor’s in International Business Relations, provide a more targeted approach to sustainable tourism, though as an optional component. Programmes like the Bachelor’s in International Sustainable Business offer a more general, but comprehensive, sustainability education that can be applied across industries, including tourism.
FTU
The overall findings indicate that sustainability in tourism is satisfactorily covered, particularly in programmes more closely aligned with tourism development, such as the Bachelor’s degrees in Tourism, Gastronomy, and Hotel and Restaurant Management, and to some extent, Management in the Service Sector. Among the Master’s programmes, only Tourism Management has a significant focus on sustainable tourism development. Other programmes (Gastronomy and Food Processing Technologies, Customs and Freight-forwarding, and Insurance and Risk Management) are more specialised and less relevant to tourism, leading to limited inclusion of sustainability in these areas. One core finding is the absence of certain essential keywords for sustainable tourism in the curricula. The documents used in this analysis were course descriptions, which offer limited information about the actual course content. Therefore, it is recommended that sustainability practices and principles be more prominently featured in course descriptions to provide students with clearer guidance. It is worth noting that important sustainability terms like “Agenda 2030” are missing, with the outdated “Agenda 21” still referenced. Although the terms are similar, updating course descriptions to include “Agenda 2030” is necessary. Another missing term is “gender-sensitive,” although terms like “inclusivity” and “diversity” are present, potentially implying gender equality. Nevertheless, gender equality should be explicitly addressed. The term “circular economy” is also absent from the study guides. While its principles may be applied within economic and management domains, it is not directly mentioned. Programmes with less focus on tourism development generally cover basic sustainability principles, enabling graduates to apply their knowledge in sustainable tourism to some extent. In conclusion, most programmes address sustainability principles broadly. However, there is a notable disparity in the Master’s programmes. Of the four offered, only Tourism Management is strongly related to tourism, while the others perform poorly in integrating sustainability in tourism development due to their specialised focus. Nonetheless, students in these programmes may still apply their knowledge in tourism-related activities, incorporating some sustainability practices and principles.
To what extent do individual faculty members contribute to the teaching and research of sustainable tourism?
UASB vs. FTU
The two institutions, the Department of Business at UASB and FTU, have both made significant contributions to the field of sustainable tourism through research and teaching. However, there are notable differences in their approaches, focus areas and achievements. Both universities are committed to advancing sustainable tourism. UASB has engaged in international research projects like MIECAT and MIENAT, which focus on the interpretation of European cultural and natural heritage in tourism, emphasising sustainability in preserving these heritages. Similarly, FTU has also been involved in multiple sustainability-related projects such as the analysis of tourism’s economic impact in Ohrid, conservation of wetlands in the Balkan region, and the SCOOK project focusing on sustainability in culinary practices. Both institutions are involved in international projects funded by Erasmus+ and other regional funds, highlighting their active participation in global research networks. UASB’s projects MIECAT and MIENAT involve multiple European universities, while FTU collaborates with institutions across Europe in projects like SCOOK. This shows that the research at both institutions aims at practical outcomes that benefit local and international communities. While UASB’s work emphasizes the creation of educational courses and resources, FTU’s projects focus on direct impacts, such as economic analysis and conservation efforts that support regional development and sustainability. However, there is a clear difference in research focus. The research conducted at the Department of business Studies at UASB has a broader focus on sustainable business practices beyond tourism, with a significant emphasis on the circular economy and diversity, as evidenced by the publications in these areas. Sustainable tourism, while important, is part of a larger sustainability framework at UASB. FTU’s research is more directly focused on the tourism sector itself, especially in the context of North Macedonia. Their projects are more localised, dealing with specific regional issues like the economic impact of tourism in Ohrid, conservation of wetlands and sustainability in culinary practices. FTU’s sustainability-related work makes up a substantial portion of their overall research output. This shows that the impact of the Department of Business Studies at UASB is seen more in the production of academic papers and development of resources that have broader applications across Europe, particularly in the field of sustainable business and heritage interpretation. Tourism is seen as part of a larger agenda on circular economy and sustainable business practices. By contrast, FTU’s impact is more concentrated on regional development, with projects that have a direct influence on local communities in North Macedonia. Their research outputs are also geared towards shaping policy and practice within the country, emphasizing the sustainable development of local tourism sectors.