Costa Rica: The Search for Sustainability
A Global Partners Project Faculty Development Seminar
Organized and hosted by Rollins College
July 24-31, 2006
This summer, Rollins College is organizing and hosting a seminar for faculty members of Global Partners Project institutions. Rollins College is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS), one of three consortia which have collaborated on international programs for the last 6 years through the Global Partners Project. ACS’s partners are the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) and the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA). This seminar launches Rollins long-term goal of establishing multiple international learning centers for faculty development seminars for liberal arts institutions. Rollins is generously subsidizing almost half of the expenses of the seminar to significantly reduce costs for participants. Details and application procedures appear below.
Seminar Leaders: Drs. Barry Allen and Lee Lines, Associate Professors of Environmental Studies, Rollins College. Drs. Allen and Lines have studied and taught many courses in Costa Rica over the past ten years.
Seminar Focus: Sustainable development – a multi-disciplinary approach.
Background: For three decades Monteverde, Costa Rica has been the poster child for sustainable development. Building a strong economic base on small scale dairy farming and ecotourism, this small community near the cloud forest seemed to have found the answers. Quakers from Alabama, fleeing the peacetime draft in the early 1950’s brought sound conservation practices, consensus decision making, and economic progress to the area. Their foresight and openness helped create the extraordinary Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, the centerpiece of over 100,000 acres of unique habitat attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world. This tourism boom, however, has strained both the physical and social environment. This program will examine the tension between conservation and development in one of the world’s “last great places.”
Application Eligibility and Procedure: Applicants must be faculty members at one of the 42 institutions of the Global Partners Project. No later than April 3, 2006, send the following information to Dr. Barry Allen at ballen@rollins.edu or Dr. Lee Lines at llines@rollins.edu.
Participants will be chosen based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to: disciplinary balance, interest in promoting study abroad programs and other internationalization efforts, prior participation in Global Partners programs.
Costs: Approximate cost is $950 per participant. This includes all lodging and meals with air from Orlando (shared accommodations); Group size: Approximately 12.
Tentative schedule:
Monday, July 24, 2006
Arrive Costa Rica, transfer to hotel in San Jose; dinner; discussion of study abroad pedagogy
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
National Institute for Biological Diversity in San Jose (INBIO) in A.M., lunch at INBIO, travel to Monteverde, dinner Sophia's
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, lunch, afternoon free, dinner; discussion of study abroad pedagogy
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Cheese factory, pig farm, Women’s art cooperative (CASEM), lunch at Stella's, dinner at De Lucia
Friday, July 28, 2006
San Luis beneficio coffee cooperative, Finca La Bella communal farm, EcoLodge (run by UGA) with lunch, dinner
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Santa Elena Reserve, Selvatura eco-tourist attraction and insect exhibit, lunch and dinner with Quaker farmer and CARE worker Joe Stuckey
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Bellbird Project with lecture from CEO Costa Rica Conservation Foundation Director Deb Hamilton, lunch, Ranario frog museum (late afternoon), dinner at Sophia's
Monday, July 31, 2006
Morning departure for airport
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