
From 29 June to 3 July 2026, representatives of the Kazakh Academy of Sport and Tourism participated in the first Training of Trainers (ToT1) module, hosted by Portucalense University in Porto, Portugal. The training focused on rural tourism development, innovative teaching methodologies, and the empowerment of women entrepreneurs in rural areas.
During the programme, participants:
• explored contemporary European approaches to rural tourism development;
• took part in specialized training sessions on Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Design Thinking methodologies;
• visited successful rural tourism enterprises and examined best practices in rural entrepreneurship in Portugal;
• discussed the next stages of the implementation of the DIANA project with international partners.
Participation in this training forms part of the Academy’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the professional competencies of its academic staff and to integrate European best practices into its educational programmes and teaching activities.
The DIANA project—Empowering Women through the Development and Implementation of Rural Tourism Entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan—is implemented with the financial support of the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.












