This project focuses on promoting NEUST-Gabaldon as a center for agricultural and ecological educational tourism through the development of a virtual reality edutourism experience.
Specifically, it aims to:
• develop, implement, and promote an alternative system for agricultural and ecological educational tourism through virtual
reality learning experiences;
• highlight the institution’s agricultural technological innovations and the locale’s natural and man-made attractions and key cultural resources through virtual reality platform;
• develop and implement virtual reality learning and training programs and lifelong education programs for local and foreign edutourists;
• integrate global learning into educational tourism products and services; and
• intensify home-border internationalization efforts of the institution by strengthening partnership and linkages with other HEIs and FHEIs.
Educational tourism has the potential to add value to a destination, which is what this project is aiming for NEUST-Gabaldon.
The concept of virtual reality (VR) is incorporated in NEUST’s edutourism project to meet the rapidly changing needs of the global society and to prepare and adapt to the new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This has a two-fold use: as form of marketing and as an alternative learning experience. Virtual reality can give edutourists a “try-before-you-buy” experience through a feeling of engagement inside an artificial world generated by a computer, while also providing them immersive learning experiences. These
can encourage foreign and local edutourists to travel to the actual locations in the future, contributing to the recovery of the tourism industry. It will also allow the University to strengthen the internationalization of its curricular program offerings through home-based internationalization activities.
Online Barista Course with 3D VR
The edutourism packages included in the VR platform will be designed to reflect not only international
content and dimension, but also responsiveness to local and cultural issues. These packages can also be utilized for virtual student learning and mobility activities, in partnership with other local and foreign HEIs. The University can continuously impart knowledge to edutourists, and cater to their needs for lifelong learning, while building on international partnerships with foreign higher education
institutions.
The VR edutourism platform can also be used to promote other advocacies in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals through edutourism packages featuring relevant discussions of glocal issues. Edutour packages such as One with Nature for example, will give edutourists the opportunity to be virtually immersed in community-based forest resource management program
and other environmental conservation activities of the University.
360° Virtual Tour
Featuring NEUST Gabaldon Campus, Gabaldon and Dingalan Tourist Spots
This Virtual Reality Platform for Edutourism has numerous possible applications for the institution and will immensely help the institution in creating additional international partnerships for the University.
Earth-to-Cup Coffee Production Process @ NEUST Gabaldon Campus
Planting, Harvesting and Processing the Coffee Cherries, Drying the Beans, Milling the Beans, Roasting the Coffee, Grinding Coffee, and Brewing Coffee.
