European E-learning Institute (EUEI) specialises in creating powerful online platforms, immersive educational environments and providing resources and tools to create truly valuable learning experiences.
Eight full-time people are working within the EUEI staff team, and they are all competent in leadership, teamwork, and the application of diverse quality management frameworks. In addition, they work closely with a network of designers, programmers, and pedagogic consultants. They prioritise end-user participation and robust qualitative-quantitative feedback as the chief components of quality and promote individual and organisational learning throughout all their projects. Over 6000 students access their online courses each year.
EUEI was founded on the concept of 'continuing education'; a post-secondary education programme that provides further enrichment to learners in a wide range of sectors, covering professional and/or personal topics.
EUEI courses build on the expertise of our European collaborators, who are mainly academic specialists in VET, HE, and lifelong learning. Each of their online courses is delivered via a state-of-the-art learning system. The course content theory is combined with practical application supported by case studies, movies, and interactive presentations.
Collaboration and peer learning form an important part of EUEI courses: Learners can directly connect with the professors and trainers who created the course content and are encouraged to join a peer learning platform.
CDEA has led the way in vocational training in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, since 1978 and delivers HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & HEALTH courses in three areas: in-service, initial 8 adult vocational training. The college aims to meet individuals LIFELONG LEARNING NEEDS. Our broad range of courses brings them into daily contact with the business community which enables them to adapt to the ever-changing skill needs. CDEA aims to contribute to the continuous improvement and development of tourism and hospitality sectors by preparing and training the professionals of the future.
CDEA assumes a real and effective commitment to Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, which has materialized in various measures that impact the entire college. They have had an effective strategic plan of a gender perspective in place since 2018. As a VET provider CDEA recognizes the value of training future leaders in the sector in their role as changemakers and will benefit from this project by gaining insights, region best practices & new pedagogic strategies to teach contemporary gender-based leadership. As pioneers in the field, CDEA will have enormous experience when identifying career development needs for women working in all roles in the tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors.
Irida Tase
Irida has an ample experience as a project coordinator in the EU and the USA. She has studied and worked in seven different countries in three different continents. This has not only taught her how to adapt and understand different cultures but also, and most importantly, it has made her knowledgeable about multiple problems of the different societies she has been living in. Equal human rights and opportunities, sustainability and climate change are the burning topics of the day and Irida is continuously trying to find ways on how to raise awareness on the disadvantageous situation of women and the importance of a sustainable world.
Ane Gaztelumendi
One of Ane´s passions that she developed at the age of 6 is the traditional Basque dance.It has given her the opportunity not only to promote the Basque culture all over Europe but also to get to know different cultures at a very early stage of her life as she has participated in numerous European cultural festivals.
After her graduation Ane started working as a Product Manager creating tailor-made products for private groups, companies and individual clients. Her teaching career started in 2018 and in her classes Ane has always conveyed that tourism, in the Basque country in particular, shouldn´t be separated from sustainability as we live in a small territory rich in nature beauties, a destination recognized for its cultural richness, a unique language and deeply rooted traditions.
Transformia is a small business focusing on self-empowerment, sustainability, and social responsibility. Transformia builds on the belief that personal transformation, where individuals find the courage to live in alignment with the calling of their hearts, is a powerful way to clear the path for the social transformation needed to move towards a more just and sustainable future. Through writing, lecturing, teaching and engaging with people in other creative ways Transformia´ s aim is to inspire and encourage individuals, groups, businesses and organizations to take steps that facilitate both personal and social transformation.
Dr. Audrey Ingolfsdottir participates in the WeLead project on behalf of Transformia. With an educational background in international relations, she has worked as a journalist, civil servant, researcher, and consultant, advising and writing about sustainability and social responsibility. She also has twenty years of experience as a university lecturer, teaching courses related to international politics, peace and conflict studies, natural resource management, gender and environment, and on sustainability and social responsibility.
UNAK is located in the north of Iceland. It was founded in 1987 and has been one of the fastest-growing universities in the Arctic region. The University of Akureyri has been actively developing distance learning and online courses for its students using modern equipment, tools, and materials for academic staff in the field of teaching methodology.
UNAK offers flexible study programmes to all UNAK students and emphasises the importance of providing equal and open access to study and work for students and employees. The policy of the University is to build and secure a supportive education and a work environment that ensures equal rights.
Two centres associated with the University are partners in the We Lead project, The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre (ITRC) and UNAK’s Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Both ITRC and CTL have a long record of coordinating and collaborating on international projects giving us a strong understanding of the skills and resources needed as well as the tactics to deliver effective and sustainable work.
The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre (ITRC) was established in 1999 and is a co-operative project between three universities: the University of Akureyri, the University of Iceland, and Hólar University College. The ITRC's aim is the improvement and promotion of tourism research in Iceland and strengthening the bonds of research and industry through domestic and international collaborative projects. The main objective of the ITRC is to boost research and thus understanding of the impact tourism has on the Icelandic economy, society, and environment.
Due to its close working relationships with HE and VET institutions, as well as the tourism business environment in Iceland, the centre has a strong pool of experts who can participate, support & disseminate the work of the We Lead project!
ITRC’s We Lead Team
Guðrún Þóra Gunnarsdóttir, director of ITRC
Guðrún Þóra has been involved in tourism education and research since 1996. Her main drive is to understand the different forces affecting tourism development and how tourism as a cultural force is shaping our modern life. Thus, Guðrún is always keen to design and formulate new tourism research projects, and throughout the years she has participated with many International and domestic researchers and scholars as well as practitioners from the tourism sector. She strongly feels that knowledge sharing, and cooperation is the way forward.
Vera Vilhjálmsdóttir, researcher at ITRC
Vera has been working for the ITRC since the spring of 2018 and in her time with the ITRC she has worked on numerous projects, both nationally and internationally funded. Vera has extensive experience with project management, as well as experience in creating open educational resources for the tourism industry and hosting project related workshops.
The Centre of Teaching and Learning (CTL) at UNAK is responsible for the development of flexible learning at the University. Its main objective is to provide professional support to faculty members in their development of teaching in the form of expert feedback and consultation. CTL has led innovative use of information technology in teaching.
CTL’s We Lead Team
Auðbjörg Björnsdóttir, director of CTL
Bryndís Ásta Böðvarsdóttir, project manager at CTL
Momentum is an award-winning Irish educator focused on developing progressive learning programmes (course curriculum and content development) and platforms for education, with a special focus on female empowerment and inclusion through further adult education in tourism, sustainability & digital skills. Our experienced team helps educators and adults respond to the dynamic and changing needs they experience and thus we aim to provide more sustainable employment and futures to adult learners. We train and mentor hundreds per annum and we advise networks and policymakers.
Momentum also has a strong marketing and dissemination division specialising in brand development, content generation, communication strategies, digital media and social media attracting high-profile attention to our programmes. We are very proud of our role in developing the We Lead brand that is carried through the project.
PAULA WHYTE, an EU project coordinator. She holds a BSc. in Food science & having owned her own hospitality business for 18 years brings enormous insight to WE LEAD. She is motivated by bringing about positive changes via projects aimed at lessening the effects of the Hospitality/Tourism industry/consumer behaviour & creating a more sustainable future through innovative education.
