Strong presence for VIU at World Leisure Congress

Vancouver Island University is hoping to become an international centre of excellence in leisure studies.

Faculty members in the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management including Nicole Vaugeois, Dan McDonald and Robert Pfister attended the 10th World Leisure Congress in Quebec to present the idea of offering a Master’s in Leisure and Sustainability Degree at VIU. Dr. Ralph Nilson, VIU President and Vice-Chancellor also attended.

"The feedback was very positive," said Pfister. "If we are successful, the next stage will be a visit from international auditors from World Leisure."

Faculty took a contingent of 14 students from the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management to the Congress, many of whom presented their undergraduate research in oral or poster presentations.

The World Leisure Congress featured a variety of presentation formats and a diversity of speakers from over 30 countries. Over 2,000 delegates explored the Congress theme "How do communities adapt leisure to their development?"

"Attending this event was a goal students set last fall," said Vaugeois. "This was a once in a lifetime opportunity because the World Leisure Congress is held every three years in a different location. The last time it was held in Canada was in the 1980’s in Alberta. Our student presenters fundraised for over a year to ensure VIU had a strong presence at this year's Congress."

"It was amazing," said student presenter Carolyn Lepper. "Conducting research as part of our course work is great, but having the opportunity to present at an international event is something I never expected during my university career as a student at VIU. It was well worth it."

Lepper presented a poster on her field school experience in Belize with VIU's Recreation and Tourism department. A group of 10 Recreation and Tourism Management students made the trip last year to conduct an inventory assessment of tourism potential in the town of Orange Walk. "At the World Leisure Congress, many delegates asked questions about my research," said Lepper. "It was a great networking opportunity with students and faculty from all over the world."

Students Scott Bastian and Tracy Simpson presented a poster highlighting a study they were part of called "People’s perspectives on local government directions in Port Alberni."

The student researchers, commissioned through the Recreation and Tourism Research Institute at VIU, helped prepare and distribute a survey to 3,000 residents asking what they think about the economic, environmental and social well-being of their community.

"As undergraduate students we had the opportunity to see how a real survey is conducted, and how information is collected and tabulated," said Simpson. "Being able to present our research at an international event was incredible."

"This is exactly the way I like to learn," added Bastian. "Studying theory and concepts in the classroom is fine, but getting the opportunity to apply our knowledge in the real world and present our findings makes it much more meaningful and relevant."

President Ralph Nilson and Vaugeois are both lifetime members of World Leisure. Nilson said he was pleased VIU students participated in the Congress.

"It's these types of opportunities that enrich the student experience at VIU," said Nilson. "Our recreation and tourism programs at VIU (formerly Malaspina) have an excellent reputation with more than 800 students graduating over the past 35 years. Our graduates are considered among the best in the industry. Many of them are working in top positions in recreation, tourism, hospitality, and event management companies across British Columbia, Canada, and the world. We are extremely proud of their achievements."

VIU is celebrating three decades of recreation and tourism programming with a reunion for alumni, faculty and current students on November 7 and 8. "We have a lot to be proud of including 35 years of recreation diplomas, 20 years of tourism diplomas, and 10 years since the start of the Bachelor of Tourism Management program," Vaugeois said. "It's fitting that our reunion is called "A journey through the decades."