Biotropical Institute
Biotropical Institute
Biotropical Institute (BI) is an organization who will celebrate next year 20 years of activity in 35 countries on all continents. Born in 1998 in Barcelona, its main objective has been, since the beginning, to promote intercontinental cooperation in between students and professionals from all natural science fields. Exchanges of experiences, methods, technics, norms, guidelines, progress and discoveries in a dynamic and open way in between those who wants to contributes to the conservation of the biodiversity, in particular in the tropical belt, but ultimately across the globe.
For this purpose, since its creation, BI gathered efforts of several projects, of professionals from the five continents and organizations such as Naturalists Without Borders, Tropical Biodiversity and External Environments Institute, Lleida University, the National University of the Austral Patagonia, the La Salle Foundation of Natural Sciences of Venezuela and the Catalan University of Science Studies (to mention a few) as well as initiatives in conservation and research in a dozen of biological stations in the neotropics. With a steady growth those last years, international organizations such as ICTA -Institute of Science and Environment(Autonomous University of Barcelona) - Africain BioVets and Rewilding Centre also joined.
Academic Formation
Knowledge is the first step to protect the environment, that’s why Biotropical Institute puts as much effort in local communities, ethnical groups and in world forums. Furthermore, BI sets up internationally certified courses , seminars, conferences and other major events, in partnership with several universities, all year long and on different continent simultaneously.
All the academic programs have include a diversed and international dimension. It’s interesting to mention the courses and workshops about Wildlife handling and Biosecurity (around 200 editions and 4000 students), Advanced Ornithology, Conservation and Study in hand of birds (100 editions) or also the new formations set up these last years : Marine Biodiversity Handling and Rescue, Environmental Education Technics with Ethnical Groups, Bioturism and Endogene Development, Rehabilitation of Tropical Habitats or Conservation Biology of Primates .
The contributors animating the events are among the best world experts of their field because BI select its teachers among the most recognized professionals of all continents. Furthermore, BI formation has the IWR certification (International Network of Wildlife Rescue Centers and Conservation Programs) and has been audited in Europe by Emagister in 2016, which makes BI the only organization in this field that has received the honorary mention Cum Laude (with 9,7/10 over 300 anonymous student evaluations).
Every BI course of workshop is teached by international or local professionals and can be given in seven languages (dutch, catalan, spanish, french, english, italian and portuguese).
In this same theme, Biotropical Institute organize every year at least twenty international seminaries and other more important events like congresses. The closest is the IInd International Congress of Bioturism (Paraguay, 17th-22nd of October) : Bioturism and Biodiversity Conservation, which will gather speakers from America, Europe, Africa, from the Arctic to the Patagonia.
Scholarships, Internships and Volunteering
Offering affordable formations is a priority for BI, that’s why BI created an unique and innovative system. For all students and professionals who wish to continue to widen their knowledge and their horizons, BI offers seven different scholarships (direct grant for those who officially have their course certification): BioEurope (mostly centered in the Mediterranean), Grant Tibet (for all Asia), Australia and Africa as welle as others geographically specific like Grant Galapagos, the Amazon or even Aurora Borealis (happening in Iceland, Scandinavia and Alaska).
Transoceanic formation is encouraged, allowing students from America, Africa or Asia to get certified and specialized in Europe or Australia, and also the opposite, in order to obtain knowledge, experience, as well as ethics and local values.
Each student can apply to all scholarship including a course or a diploma in the chosen destination, as well as que necessary internship or volunteering period. Each scholarship can be also provided with free formation and accommodation. In the case of volunteers, usually, lunches are included and even a financial support for participants coming from developing countries.
Biotropical Institute has in between 200 and 400 formation options each year for its certified students, spreading from courses about environmental education, support to local ethnical groups until the ability to work with lemurians in Madagascar, gorillas in Africa, rehabilitation of fauna in Amazonia, bioturism analysis in Galapagos or Mediterranean, elephants in Asia, condors in Argentina or the Great Coral Reef in Australia, among many others. BI is the only organization in the world offering free volunteering programs, with the possibility of basic services included for the volunteer.
Current Proyects
Biotropical Institute has a wide front of actions, from from the Arctic to the less explored jungles of the tropical belt. The goal is always the conservation and recovery of biodiversity by creating tools for endogenous development in order to preserve the fauna, flora and natural resources. Therefore, BI has the mission to communicate and sensitize through environmental and cultural action.
The explorations and scientific expeditions have attracted a great deal of enthusiasm lately. We could mention the Scientific Expedition of Yasuni 2014 by the ICTA / UAB who gathered 200 participants of 26 countries. Thereby, in the upcoming months and years, BI will organize this type of event in Occidental Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Alaska, Scandinavia and in the Amazon (Peru) where the greatest naturalist movements found their roots in the last centuries.
BI offers more than 200 different formations across the planet. Originally all in Spanish, but more and more are now available in other languages to meet the expectations from a growing european and american community. BI has already set up a permanent campus in Amazonia (Peru) and in Senegal.
Guillem Chacon, Director of Biotropical Institute
