With a focus on the territory, students of the Tourism program of the Universidad Industrial de Santander, Socorro Campus, presented the results of the Integrating Project led by Professor Manuel Córdoba, within the framework of the Research Methodology course.
The activity, developed by third and fifth semester students, allowed consolidating knowledge acquired throughout the career and applying it in proposals that articulate different disciplines: “it was an excellent, comprehensive work, which strengthened not only academic and professional skills, but also soft skills in high-performance teams. They learned strategies and tools that will impact their degree projects and their professional practice,” said Professor Córdoba.
The project not only allowed the students to identify tourism opportunities in the region, but also to foster a sense of belonging: “This helps us to take ownership of our region. Sometimes we don’t know how to differentiate what we have, or where we come from or where we are going. This work allows us to recognize that value,” concluded Cárdenas.
Karen Sofía Raven Mendivelso, along with her fifth-semester group, developed a proposal focused on consolidating the Polinizando Saberes tourist route: “We analyzed the national context, conducted a financial feasibility study and a study of the interpretation of the route. We found a high potential to consolidate it as a rural tourism destination, and based on the weaknesses identified, we proposed strategies to promote it at the regional and national levels,” explained the student.
The third semester group presented a proposal aimed at integrating eleven municipalities of the Communal Province under a rural tourism vision: “we visited municipalities such as Socorro, Suaita, Gámbita and Simacota to identify their potential and think about how to attract more visitors. We focused on rural areas, villages and the countryside, with the objective of involving the communities in the creation of a project that strengthens their local products and their economy,” said Camilo Andrés Cárdenas Hernández, student.
The UIS is an example of a university education connected to the regional reality, focused on innovation, sustainable development and collaborative work.
