13 February 2025, Vientiane, National University of Laos (NUOL) officially launched the INNO4Tourism Career Support Office, at the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, National University of Laos. The ceremony was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dexanourath Seneduangdeth, Acting President of National University of Laos and Attaché of the Delegation of the European Union to the Lao PDR. About 60 participants including faculty members, students, representatives from government agencies, tourism business associations, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), and the private sector attended the event.

Following the welcoming remarks of NUOL’s Acting President and Mrs. Cecile Leroy’s congratulatory remarks of Attaché, Green Deal: Environment, Forestry, Biodiversity, of the Delegation of the European Union to the Lao PDR, the participants have a chance to learn about the INNO4Tourism Career Support Office and the INNO4Trousim Project as a whole through presentations by project team members followed by discussion and a tour in the Office.

The INNO4Tourism Career Support Office was established as a part of the Innovative Curricula on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Tourism Workforce (INNO4Tourism) Project, which is a co-funding project for 2023-2026, with support from the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme on Capacity Building in Higher Education with the total budget of €748,054 for nine higher education institutions (HEIs) and organizations in Asia and Europe, namely National University of Laos and Savannakhet University in Lao PDR; and Prince of Sonkla University, Chiang Mai University and Phouket Tourist Business Association in Thailand; University of Palermo and CESIE in Italy; University of Macedonia and SYMPLEXIS in Greece.

The INNO4Tourism Career Support Office is an ideal setting to provide career advices, facilitate job search and application, and functions as a place for finding internship and career related-information hub for faculty members and students. The services will foster university-business partnerships, collaboration between students and prospect employers through face-to-face and online platforms. In addition, the Office is staffed with academics and professionals who are able to provide career mentoring and advice to enhance employability of the graduates. 

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From November 4 to 8, 2024, the National University of Laos (NUOL) hosted a transformative training workshop on creativity and innovation. This event was organized in collaboration with University College Dublin – Innovation Academy (UCD-IA), Ireland, and Vietnam National University (VNU), Vietnam, with the aim of preparing graduates for the demands of the 21st century.

The workshop was financially supported by Irish Aid and co-funded by UCD-IA. It focused on team and community building for learning, igniting creativity and innovation, and design thinking. The sessions were held both on- and off-campus, allowing students to practice empathy in authentic circumstances, identify key issues, and propose innovative solutions.

Acting President of NUOL, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dexanourath Seneduangdeth, highlighted the significance of the workshop, stating, “The workshop organized at our university presents an excellent opportunity to enhance our cooperation and strengthen the capacity building of academics and students with a focus on creativity and innovation. Indeed, it is expected that our academics and students will be creative and innovative in their field of study and research, as well as in the process of knowledge application.”

A total of 22 academics and 40 students participated in the workshop, engaging in various activities designed to foster creativity and innovation. The event is seen as a significant step towards building sustainable partnerships and enhancing the skills of future graduates.

Vientiane, Laos – From October 16 to 18, 2024, the National University of Laos in collaboration with University of Macedonia, Greece, hosted a three-day Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop focused on the University-Business Cooperation (UBC) mechanism, as part of the INNO4Tourism Project. The workshop drew participation from 27 academics and administrators, who attended either in person or online. They are from faculties of economics and business management, forestry sciences (ecotourism), social sciences (tourism and hotel management), and letters (French for tourism), and offices of international relations, academic affairs, and student affairs.

This training program aimed to equip higher education institution (HEI) staff with the necessary skills to establish and enhance active cooperation mechanisms with the business sector and relevant stakeholders. It emphasized the importance of holistic career services that facilitate effective partnerships and career development opportunities for students.

The training was structured into three parts. The first segment focused on the foundational principles of UBC, introducing participants to benefits and challenges of UBC. The second part delved into holistic career services, providing insights into integrating lessons learned from UBC mechanisms into career development frameworks. Lastly, the third segment emphasized practical implementation, guiding participants in the development of actionable plans for establishing UBC mechanisms within their institutions.

Through this initiative, the National University of Laos aims to strengthen ties between academia and industry, enhancing educational outcomes and preparing students for successful careers in the tourism sector and beyond. This training also reflects the university’s commitment to innovation and professional development in collaboration with international partners.

As HEIs continue to adapt in an evolving educational landscape, workshops like these are crucial in fostering meaningful partnerships that benefit both students and the business community.

During 12 – 16 August 2024, Asia Pacific Women’s Information Network Center: APWINC of Sookmyung Women’s University, collaborated with the National University of Laos to conduct the ‘2024 Sookmyung UNESCO UNITWIN Digital and Leadership Training’ which encourages NUOL’s female students for ‘Women’s Empowerment through ICT Skills and Leadership Education’, held at Multi-Meeting Room of Lao-Japan Human Resource Development Institute, National University of Laos. Moreover, 8 student participants were selected to receiving grants for participation in the 2024 UNESCO UNITWIN Advanced Workshop and Hackathon, which will be held by APWINC in November 2024, at Sookmyung Women’s University.