Maria Engberg is a Senior Lecturer at Novia University of Applied Sciences (Finland). Her educational background is a Master’s degree in Tourism Management from University of Surrey (UK) and a Master’s Degree in English Language and Literature from Åbo Akademi University (Finland). She has coordinated multiple Nordic networks on tourism and teaching methodology.
She has been involved in RDI projects both on national and international levels (both as a project leader and as expert. The INTERREG Baltic Sea Region project “St Olav Waterway” (2016-2020), The Erasmus+ project “CultSense – Sensitizing Young Travellers for Local Cultures” (2020-2023), and the INTERREG Baltic Sea Region project “Light in the Dark - Increasing resilience in rural and coastal tourism in the northern Baltic Sea Region by developing off-season experiences” (2023-2026).
Areas of Expertise and interest
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Destination and tourism development
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The tourist as part of the experience industry
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Intercultural communication and cultural sensitivity
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Educational development and development of global competence at university level
Teaching
English and communication, intercultural communication and cultural awareness.
Current Projects
Light in the Dark - Increasing resilience in rural and coastal tourism in the northern Baltic Sea Region by developing off-seasons experiences
Period: 9.8.2023 - 31.1.2027
The project helps small and medium-sized businesses in the tourism industry to create nature-based initiatives during the low season to attract tourists to rural and coastal areas in the northern Baltic Sea region throughout the year.
Past Projects
UPP TURE - Utveckling av program för kompetensutveckling som stöd för svenskspråkiga i besöksnäringen i södra och västra Finland
Period: 12.8.2022 - 31.12.2024
In the project, Swedish-speaking partners within liberal education, secondary education, and higher education worked together with industry to develop short courses for competence development in the tourism and restaurant industry.
CULTSENSE - Sensitizing Young Travellers to Local Cultures - (Erasmus+)
Period: 1.9.2020 - 29.7.2024
The project aimed to help address the issue of increased mobility pressure on places and tensions and conflicts between locals and travelers. Through a specific pedagogical approach for a more understanding attitude towards other cultures, the project strived to provide tools to university students and staff.
St. Olav Waterway
Period: 14.12.2016 - 26.3.2021
The aim of the project was to create a new route, a St. Olav's Way, from Turku through the archipelago and Åland to Hudiksvall in Sweden, which would connect with previously established St. Olav's Ways in Sweden and Norway.
Publications
Engberg, M., Björkroth, P. & Marques, L. (eds.) (2022). Creating Cultural Understanding Through Travel. CultSense Case Collection. Arnhem: ATLAS / CultSense Project, 28.3.2022. https://www.cultsense.com/academicpublications/casestudies/
Engberg, M. (2023) Turism i skärgården – inte bara hållbar utan också kreativ. Åbo underrättelser, 6.6.2023. https://novialia.novia.fi/kolumner/abo-underrattelser/turism-i-skargarden-inte-bara-hallbar-utan-ocksa-kreativ
Engberg, M. (2025) KompetensBoost i turism och restaurang, en handbok för utveckling av kompetensboostar i turism- och restaurangbranschen i Finland.