Ms. Yianna Orphanidou Completes Destination Climate Champions Training Programme

The University is pleased to announce that Ms. Yianna Orphanidou, Coordinator of the BBA Hospitality Management Programme in the Department of Management of the Business School, has successfully completed the six-month Destination Climate Champions training programme.

The programme brought together destination professionals from around the world to explore climate action, destination resilience, and the future of sustainable tourism. Ms. Orphanidou participated in the programme through her capacity with Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative and in (CSTI), further strengthening the connection between academic work, professional practice, and sustainability-focused industry engagement.

This achievement is of particular relevance to the Department of Management’s ongoing work in the areas of responsible management education, sustainability, and industry collaboration. Commenting on this, Ms. Orphanidou mentioned:

“I recently completed the Destination Climate Champions training programme delivered by Travel Forward and Expedia Group. The experience reinforced something I hold central to my work as an academic: the most meaningful learning happens where academia and industry meet.

Beyond the course content itself, one of the most valuable aspects was connecting with destination professionals from around the world who are confronting many of the same challenges we face in Cyprus. The peer learning sessions created genuine space for shared experiences and practical ideas around climate action and destination resilience. They were a strong reminder that neither academia nor industry can address these issues in isolation, and that sustained collaboration and knowledge sharing will be essential as tourism adapts to a changing climate.

For me, this kind of engagement is where research, teaching, and real-world practice come together. Continuous professional development of this nature allows me to bring current industry challenges directly into the classroom, ground our discussions in lived professional experience, and help our students develop the critical thinking they will need as future leaders in the sector. When faculty stay connected to industry, students benefit from teaching that is both academically rigorous and genuinely relevant. I leave the programme with a stronger network, fresh perspectives, and renewed confidence that partnership between universities and industry is one of the most powerful tools we have for building a more sustainable and resilient tourism sector.”

The University congratulates Ms. Orphanidou on this achievement. Her participation in the Destination Climate Champions programme reflects the Department of Management’s commitment to connecting teaching and research with current industry challenges, while supporting climate awareness, responsible tourism development, and destination resilience.

Through initiatives of this kind, faculty members continue to enrich the student learning experience, contribute to sustainability-oriented knowledge exchange, and support the University’s wider engagement with responsible management education and sustainable development in Cyprus and beyond.