Since its very first day, EARTH University has vigorously pursued a dream: building a just and prosperous society for all. As the Permanent Education Program (PEP), we recognize our ability to contribute to this vision by working with you. With PEP, you will find projects and ideas to help your community become a cleaner, greener place – a way to take a bit of EARTH and its vision for a better world with you. 2
Development Cooperation Unit is ready to assist you. Need a place to carry out a special meeting, retreat or conference? Let’s plan it in a way that will greatly reduce the normal carbon footprint associated with such activities, while preserving the professionalism and comfort you expect. Our facilities employ clean, renewable energy and the highest standards of compliance with environmental protocols. Your activities will enjoy an added value: a place where you can demonstrate your own personal or organizational values of sustainability and justice. Let the Events Office make your activities a reality.
You can discover how to plant in places you never imagined food could grow. You can learn the cocoa milling process.You can even see how a herd of pasture cows is milked. All this and more is available to you through our Prepare to face the challenges of the future with us through tailored trainings. Educational Tourism Office. We ensure pedagogical quality, along with If your interest is to implement the latest in scientific breakthroughs. sustainable development processes Our Strategic Training Specialists will in your home community, we can generate an educational program to fit collaborate with you to design your needs and interests. permanent, meaningful solutions. Together, we can create processes that We invite you to have an unforgettable will move us toward a future where experience at EARTH, while joining us in we and generations to come have contributing to a better world for all. more dignified conditions. For this, the
IN HARMONY WITH NATURE EARTH University has two campuses in Costa Rica: one in the heart of the humid tropics of Limón and one in the dry tropics of Guanacaste. EARTH prepares leaders with ethical values to contribute to sustainable development and to construct a prosperous and just society. Costa Rica comprises only 0.03% of global surface area, yet holds close to 5% of the world’s biodiversity.
EARTH UNIVERSITY
More than
2100 GRADUATES from 39 COUNTRIES from around the world
50 COUNTRIES REPRESENTED on campus
400+ current students studying to be
FUTURE LEADERS OF CHANGE
CARBON-NEUTRAL campus
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Index
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WHAT WE DO
The
Permanent
Program
(PEP)
Education at
EARTH
University was founded in 1992, thanks to the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. PEP connects the University with neighboring communities for knowledge sharing, supports
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the
continuous
training
of
EARTH’s graduates, coordinates seminars and educational tourism, and
spearheads
community
development projects. PEP also features comfortable lodging and convenient facilities for organizing events.
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WHAT WE OFFER 8
PERI-URBAN farming Confined-space farming for great results
Educational tourism Cooperation for development Strategic training Facilities for events
EDUCATIONAL TOURISM PROGRAM We offer a wide variety of tours inside our campus and in neighboring communities. Visitors can select their tour from our current offerings or work with us to design their own program to meet their specific educational objectives. The tours and workshops we offer take place throughout EARTH’s campus, allowing visitors to explore their interests while enjoying hands-on learning alongside our students.
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Participants learn small-scale (confined) farming techniques. Some of the agricultural systems developed in this area are:
Vertical farming Bio-intensive systems Floating-root systems Raised-bed growing Agricultural recycling
Family farming Tilapia fish aquaculture Bio-fertilizers production and management Bio-drivers preparation
Integrated Livestock Farm Learn the benefits of animals in agriculture
Integrated Organic Farm Where plants, animals and agricultural production are all interdependent This is an efficient and operational small-scale model farm that teaches you how to create and maintain a biodiverse organic and integrated farm as a realistic farming option. This project combines the efforts of teachers and students interested in researching and promoting organic agriculture strategies for the tropics.
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Pigs, cows, sheep, horses and more. Here, visitors can learn livestock management and production techniques to implement at home or in their community. Learn how animal waste is treated to obtain biogas through biodigesters that feed an electric generator.
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Waste management and recycling
BANANA TOUR
Reduce, reuse and recycle
Visit EARTH’s field of dreams
EARTH bananas are grown in small blocks on campus – a sustainable and innovative practice that results in world-renowned delicious fruit. Our bananas are Rainforest Alliance Certified, and their production is carbon neutral.
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About 80% of the waste produced at EARTH is recycled or reused for the production of animal feed and natural fertilizers. EARTH offers the opportunity to get involved and learn about waste management and proper recycling procedures.
Experience the entire process, from harvesting and riding the banana “train” to processing and packaging.
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Ethnobotanical Garden
Botanical garden The exotic world of species from the humid tropics.
Discover the flavors, fragrances and textures in the sensory world of natural medicine
Learn about the wide variety of orchids and ornamental species that inhabit the ecosystems of the humid tropics and their care.
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The ethnobotanical garden has an incredible variety of medicinal plants that visitors can appreciate while learning their different names, properties and benefits.
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COOPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Monkey Ladder Forest Reserve Feel the magic of a walk in the rainforest
We create programs and projects of socio-productive impact, such that they are scalable and replicable in the rural areas of Costa Rica and Latin America. We shepherd the entire project, from design and planning to implementation and evaluation. In addition, we collaborate technically in the writing and promotion of public policies and in the territorial rural development planning. We seek to establish strategic alliances to achieve our goals.
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Some of the areas to be covered are:
The Forest Reserve covers 1000 hectares (2471.5 acres) of primary and secondary forest.A two-kilometer trail allows for serene walks while identifying the precious flora and fauna typical of the Caribbean rainforests. Find ferns, walking palms, epiphytes, balsa wood trees, the peculiar monkey ladder vine, sloths, anteaters, coatis, deer, raccoons, various types of amphibians, reptiles, felines, and three of the four species of monkeys found in Costa Rica.
For more information: Christopher Picado Quirós Phone: +506 2713-0248 Erick Aguilar Núñez Phone: +506 2713-0248 turismoeducativo@earth.ac.cr
Corporate social responsibility Community and territorial development Entrepreneurship and business acceleration Agricultural sector For more information: Fabián Campos Phone: +506 2713-0249 E-mail: pep@earth.ac.cr
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TRAINING PROGRAMS PEP hosts trainings and courses that promote the continued education of professionals, graduates and the general public
MEETINGS & EVENTS We provide quality services with our first-class flexibility, convenient building amenities, and unparalleled customer-focused approach. Technologically equipped classrooms and conference spaces are also available.
Some of the trainings and refresher courses offered are:
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Precision agriculture Carbon neutrality Urban farming Renewable energies Financial principles for agribusiness and small farmers Livestock artificial insemination Biodigesters Personal and professional development workshops Drones For more information: Melissa Ugalde Phone: +506 2713-0253 E-mail: mugalde@earth.ac.cr
Classrooms Two classrooms with a capacity of 25 or 30 people.
Tim and Denny Solso Conference Center: This space has a capacity of 100 people at tables or 150 with just chairs.
Open Lounges: Two locales with a capacity of 70 people that can be expanded by adding additional canopies. Features: Audiovisual equipment Tables and chairs with linens for events Wireless internet Catering service with wait staff Audiovisual equipment Sound system Exclusive and personalized attention by a program technician during the events
Field training and integration:: This location – ideal for activities seeking to develop teamwork and leadership skills – is set deep inside the 740,000-acre EARTH Forest Reserve and bordered by three natural rivers. Part of the Central American biological corridor, the Forest Reserve is an important source of biodiversity. For more information: Melissa Ugalde Phone: +506 2713-0253 E-mail: pep@earth.ac.cr
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HOSPITALITY Lodging:
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Our lodging options at EARTH consist of four buildings with eight rooms each, for a total of 32 rooms. Each can be used in single, double, triple or quadruple occupancy, as required. Features of each room: Single and/or double beds Shower with hot water (heated by solar panels) Hair dryer Ceiling fan Closet Fresh towels and linens Windows with screens Wireless internet
Apartment
Organic Farm Accommodation
The PEP apartment has four rooms, two of triple occupancy and two of double occupancy, to lodge 10 people comfortably. The apartment is located within the residential area for EARTH faculty. Apartment features: Full kitchen Two bathrooms Living room Dining room Laundry area Wireless internet
Fresh towels and linens TV Wardrobe in each room Parking Large private terrace
EARTH’s Integrated Organic Farm (FIO), near the campus’s main entrance, has two houses. Each contains four quadruple-occupancy rooms, lodging up to 16 people in each.of our installations include free Wi-Fi. Features: Bunk beds Four showers, two toilets and two hand sinks per house
Meeting room Full kitchen Wireless internet TV
For more information: Karla Molina +506 2713 0140 E-mail: reservacionespep@earth.ac.cr
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EARTH FACILITIES
La Oropendola gift shop At La Oropendola gift shop, you will find souvenirs that remind you of the time spent at EARTH, including T-shirts, hats, mugs, bags and more. You can also purchase campus-made foods, such as cheese, yogurts, jams, dried fruits and fresh bananas.Visitors can also stay at the FIO Lodges, near the main entrance to the campus.This area is made up of two buildings with four rooms with 2 bunk-beds each, for a total occupancy of 32 people.The buildings also offer kitchen and meeting areas. All of our installations include free Wi-Fi.
Dining 22
Cafeteria: Our university dining hall offers three meals a day, each featuring a variety of local and international dishes, vegetarian options and ingredients sourced from EARTH’s academic farms. Aromas Cafe: A cozy cafe next to La Oropendola gift shop serving export-quality coffee, smoothies, pastries, sandwiches and crepes.
Student center and La Jama convenience store At the student center, you will find TV lounges, board games, pool, table tennis and foosball.While there, you can visit La Jama, our small convenience store, to buy hot snacks, toiletries, candy and personal essentials.
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Laundry service Laundry service is offered from Monday to Saturday at a cost of U.S. $10 per load. Please check with the front desk at PEP for additional details.
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Transportation A medium-sized van for 15 people is available for visiting groups traveling to and from Juan Santamaría International Airport. Ask for availability when reviewing the details of your visit with our staff.
Internet Free wireless internet is available throughout the main campus.Visitors can also access various computer labs.
Medical center The medical center at EARTH University has a 24/7 staff of fully certified physicians, nurses and paramedics for medical consultations or on-campus emergencies.
Clubs and recreation EARTH’s sports complex includes a soccer field, outdoor swimming pool, indoor fitness center for basketball and volleyball, tennis court and weight room. EARTH’s campus also has plenty of roads and paths perfect for jogging, cycling or leisurely strolling. Visitors are encouraged to take part in the many afterclass sports and recreational clubs alongside students, faculty and staff.
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