📍 Locations: Ukraine & Uganda
🎓 Initiators: Institute of International Relations, National Aviation University (Kyiv)
🤝 Partners: Ukrainian Youth Tourism Association, private tourism companies, hotels
👥 Lead Consultant: Oleksandr Fainin
📆 Timeline: 2004–2009 (Ukraine), 2024 (Uganda)
🎯 Focus: Tourism Education, Professional Training, International Collaboration

🌍 Project Overview

The “Student Tourism Laboratory” (STL) was launched in 2004 to foster collaboration between academia and the tourism industry. By providing students with hands-on experience in real-world settings, STL aimed to cultivate a new generation of skilled professionals in tourism and hospitality.​

Students engaged in internships, participated in inter-university conferences, and attended master classes led by industry experts. The program’s success led to its adoption by five additional universities across Ukraine, resulting in over 2,500 trained specialists who have since contributed to leading tourism enterprises worldwide.​

In 2024, the STL concept expanded internationally when a Ugandan entrepreneur and public figure approached Oleksandr Fainin to support educational initiatives in Kabale, Uganda. A comprehensive program was developed to establish a Student Tourism Laboratory in Kabale, focusing on destination creation and management. Negotiations with donors and investors are currently underway to bring this vision to fruition.​

🚀 Key Achievements

• Trained over 2,500 tourism and hospitality professionals

• Established partnerships between universities and industry stakeholders

• Expanded the STL model to multiple Ukrainian universities

• Initiated international collaboration for tourism education in Uganda​

💡 Why It Matters

By integrating academic learning with practical experience, the STL project has significantly enhanced the quality of tourism education. Its expansion into Uganda exemplifies the potential for international cooperation in developing skilled professionals to meet global tourism demands.