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| President J. Michael Ortiz with Consul General of Croatia Sanja Bujas Juraga. |
The College of the Extended University and the International Center were hosts to the Consul General of the Republic of Croatia during a recent visit to discuss future cooperative efforts between Croatia and Cal Poly Pomona. As Consul General of Croatia, Sanja Bujas Juraga was interested in learning more about the system of education and organization of Cal Poly Pomona.
During her visit in November, Bujas Juraga met with President J. Michael Ortiz and Doug Glaeser, interim director of Governmental & External Affairs. Earlier in the day she toured the campus with Van Garner, dean of the College of the Extended University, and Michael Tran Casner, coordinator of International Training Programs for the International Center.
The International Center was recently awarded a contract from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its programming agent, World Learning, for a two-week training program for national and nature park managers from Croatia.
The International Center was one of many organizations competing for the training contract sponsored by USAID. The purpose of the program, which will be held in January 2004, is to provide training in the best practices of national and nature park management and topics in eco-tourism.
Twelve park managers from Krka National Park, Mljet National Park and Lonjsko Polje Nature Park, and key personnel from the Ministry of Environmental Protection will attend classes and field visits that will expose participants to an array of business management and marketing practices. In addition, the courses will cover such topics as environmental management, environmental preservation and tourism development. The park managers will also study the importance of efficient customer service, including fee collection, facility design and maintenance, public information and emergency services.
According to the USAID, further development of the national parks within the war-affected areas of Croatia is seen as the primary engine for tourism, economic growth and job creation within the region. It is believed that training received at Cal Poly Pomona will help Croatia reach these objectives.
The International Center works in cooperation with the colleges, faculty members, student groups and other units on campus to promote, encourage, and facilitate international activity within the university community. For more information about the center, visit www.international.cpp.edu.