Australian students given opportunity to create sustainable future

A program launched by Nespresso Australia will see a local student travelling to Costa Rica to discover how to create a more sustainable future.

The Summer Campus Program is a two-week course that will take participants beyond the classroom to experience the sustainable cultivation of quality coffee.

Twenty students from around the globe will be brought together by Nespresso to visit the Costa Rica university campus. Its eco-friendly lodges, coffee plantations, wet milling centres, botanical gardens, rainforests, waterfalls and beaches will provide the backdrop for a range of daily activities.

While the trip may be happening across the other side of the world, Jerome Casteigt, general manager of Nespresso Australia, said it is relevant for Australia.

"Sustainability and the origin of the food we eat is a topical issue in Australia, as farmers across the country face the harsh reality of drought. This makes an ideal time for a student from Australia to visit Costa Rica and learn more about how sustainability can impact our lives now and in the future," said Casteigt.

"In conjunction with our partners in Costa Rica, we are initiating this inaugural Summer Campus Program, set in an interactive and dynamic environment, to enable tomorrow's generation to better understand sustainability and its impact."

Through an interactive syllabus, students will learn about how the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program improves the overall quality of life for coffee farmers and their communities.

Being involved in everything from coffee picking, tree planting, coffee tasting and wildlife excursions, the students will present to a panel of experts at the end of the program to earn certificates as recognition for their accomplishments.

Under the tutelage of local experts from Nespresso and the Rainforest Alliance, students will explore topics including bio-diversity, sustainable growing techniques, highest quality coffee farming, beneficial business practices and eco-tourism. Local academic institutions such as the INCAE, the leading Latin American Business School, will also play key roles throughout the program.

Australian university students between the ages of 18"“28 can apply online now by visiting www.nespresso-aaa-campus.com and completing the online application before 14 March 2007.