GDS-Academy
CityDNA is proud to be a strategic partner of GDS-Academy, a blended learning institution for destination professionals.
The immersive GDS-Academy courses offer a personal, practical experience for destination and event professionals who wish to make more positive impact through tourism and events.
The Masterclasses and GDS-ICCA-CityDNA Certificate in Regenerative Destination Management course are based on evolving theories of circularity, behaviour change, and regenerative practices, and tightly aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
GDS-Academy offers an experienced, accomplished faculty of respected thought leaders and notable influencers from GDS-Movement and universities, destinations and organisations.
Expect fun, engaging modules with extreme collaboration in the form of quizzes, votes, and discussions on easy-to-use digital tools and (responsibly recycled) sticky notes.
Courses are designed for individual professionals (open-enrolment) and entire teams or organisations (in-house). As such, modules are delivered in a hybrid format including remote and in-person options*.
If you want to lead through regenerative best practices and co-create to transform business and leisure tourism into a force for better (not just for good), we urge you to take a Masterclass, or the full certificate ASAP!
*Options are course-dependant
Courses
- Open-Enrolment GDS-ICCA-CityDNA Certificate in Regenerative Destination Management
- In-House Storytelling and Communication Strategies for Regeneration Masterclass
- In-House Impact Strategy and Measurement Masterclass Designed and Developed with #Meet4Impact
- In-House Regenerative Event Management Masterclass
Learn how to manage destinations through regenerative business models, destination stewardship approaches, and stakeholder engagement methodologies brought to you by CityDNA and ICCA.
11 modules over 4 months
Key faculty:
- Guy Bigwood, Chief Changemaker at GDS-Movement, and Course Faculty Lead
- Signe Jungersted, CEO and Founding Partner at Group NAO
- Peter Rømer Hansen, CCO and Founding Partner at Group NAO
- Dr. Xavier Font, Professor of Sustainability Marketing at University of Surrey, United Kingdom
- And over 20 guest speakers from destination management organisations around the world!
Explore traditional communication strategies and how they can be applied to communicating sustainability and enhance its purpose.
Key faculty:
- Melissa Baird, Chief Storyteller at GDS-Movement, and Course Faculty Lead
- Rob Holmes, Founder at GLP Films and Sustainability Storytelling Strategist
- Ed Gillespie, Resident Futurist, Speaker, Writer and Communications Specialist
Get ahead of the curve with a top-class strategy designed and developed by #Meet4Impact to increase your destination’s legacy and impact and achieve holistic, sustainable growth.
4 modules of 2.5 hours each
Key faculty:
- Genevieve Leclerc, Co-founder and CEO at #Meet4Impact, and Course Faculty Lead
- Alexis Kereluk, International Collaboration Partner at #Meet4Impact
- Jessica Vandy, Senior Changemaker at GDS-Movement, Founder at The Tenth Letter consultancy, International Collaboration Partner at #Meet4Impact
Invest in a “systems reset” that empowers you to develop fresh, resilient, inclusive and zero carbon growth models for events.
4 modules of 2.5 hours each
Key faculty:
- Guy Bigwood, Chief Changemaker at GDS-Movement, and Course Faculty Lead