THE Iwokrama International Centre is strengthening its global academic partnerships through an expanding collaboration with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia, USA, as both institutions advance joint initiatives in research, training, and environmental education.
The partnership, which has been under discussion since 2024, has already delivered its first set of activities, including a six-day Birding Tour Guide training course held in January 2026 at the Iwokrama River Lodge and Surama Eco Lodge. The programme forms part of wider efforts to build local capacity in eco-tourism and conservation-based livelihoods.
In March 2026, the collaboration deepened with the arrival of nine Drexel University undergraduate students in Guyana for an Intensive Course Abroad (ICA) titled Tropical Field Studies. The group, drawn from disciplines including biology, environmental science, engineering, and political science, engaged in hands-on ecological learning across the Iwokrama Forest and Surama Village.
The field-based course focused on tropical ecosystem dynamics, including abiotic factors, habitat structure, biodiversity, and human impacts on forest systems. Students were exposed to a range of operational and educational aspects of the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development, including forestry operations, tourism activities, and biodiversity monitoring systems.
Participants also took part in birdwatching sessions alongside youth from the Fair View Wildlife Club, learned aspects of local cuisine preparation such as roti-making, and visited the Bina Hill Youth Learning Centre for student exchange activities. In Surama Village, they engaged in cultural immersion experiences with the Surama cultural group, including farming, hiking, and community-based learning.
The programme further extended into the Rupununi savannahs, where students observed contrasting ecological landscapes and biodiversity patterns, adding to their field experience across riverine, forest, and savannah ecosystems.
Iwokrama officials say the initiative reflects the centre’s broader approach to conservation education, which integrates scientific research with community engagement and sustainable resource management.
Director of Resource Management and Training at Iwokrama, Dr Raquel Thomas, said study abroad programmes offer students a unique opportunity to understand conservation within the context of sustainable natural resource use in a one-million-acre protected forest.
She also emphasised the importance of community partnerships, noting that Iwokrama’s work is closely tied to collaboration with 20 Indigenous communities through the North Rupununi District Development Board.
From the academic side, Professor Sean of Drexel University described the experience as highly valuable for students, particularly the opportunity to compare riverine, wet forest, and savannah ecosystems. He also highlighted the role of Surama Village hosts, describing them as welcoming and instrumental in sharing cultural knowledge.
Students themselves reported significant academic and personal development. One participant, Peyton Holmes, said the field experience marked a turning point in her ecological studies, noting that immersive exposure to Guyana’s ecosystems helped her gain practical skills in species identification, soil classification, and environmental observation.
She described the course as a transformative learning experience that expanded her understanding of tropical ecology and strengthened her development as an emerging environmental scientist.
Beyond the Iwokrama core sites, students also participated in a Mahaica River excursion, where they explored coastal ecosystems and observed species such as the Hoatzin, Guyana’s national bird. The group additionally toured the University of Guyana, facilitated by members of the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS), as part of broader academic exchange activities.
Looking ahead, Iwokrama is expected to host another Drexel University delegation in June 2026, which will focus on exploring further research collaborations and expanding the scope of the partnership.
Officials say the ongoing relationship underscores Guyana’s growing role as a destination for international environmental research and experiential learning, particularly in tropical ecology and sustainable development.
