Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in the Indo-Pacific: A Village Stay Model

Abstract

This ongoing Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programme began in Fiji in the mid-2010s and was most recently extended to include Indonesia. The project, to establish a commercially viable village stay aligned with a resort, has operated in conjunction with several universities in Australia and the USA and has received external funding. Through outbound mobility programmes, and using an established business toolbox, students work with existing village group structures (i.e. youth, women, elders and church groups) to create a collaborative venture (a cultural immersion and educational stay) between the village and a local eco-resort. To date, five enterprises including four in Fiji and one in Indonesia have been created. Student evaluations attest to the transformational nature of the WIL programme in providing a unique business acumen and global skill set that can position graduates to live and work in the Indo-Pacific region. The long-term goal is to enable an operational system that can be adapted to include multiple village–resort partnerships, producing a replicable business model (and associated tourism toolkit) that can be applied throughout the developing world. Information In the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programmes described here, university students collaborate with eco-resorts and local villagers to create a commercially viable and culturally experiential village stay. © CAB International 2022