Conservation & Preservation Study Abroad Programs in Quito, Ecuador

Study abroad in Ecuador with IES Abroad and experience one of the most culturally and geographically diverse countries in the world. Roughly the size of Colorado, Ecuador has the environmental megadiversity of a much larger country. Four eco-regions—the Amazon basin, the high Andes, the coastal plain, and the Galápagos Islands—offer a wealth of flora and fauna that attracts biologists, botanists, and environmentalists from around the world. These internationally known natural wonders are at your fingertips when you study in Ecuador. Adventure and learning opportunities will surround you when you study abroad in Ecuador. Snorkel in the Galápagos Islands as you study biodiversity, learn about indigenous culture as you stroll through Otavalo Market, and study environmental science in the Amazon rainforest! To make the most of your time in Ecuador, study abroad is a great opportunity to not only visit, but also learn about this stunningly diverse country.

Learn to integrate policy, scholarship, ethics, and participatory practice to achieve sustainable development goals. Starting in Quito, Ecuador, explore the challenges of one of the most biodiverse countries in the world while learning from faculty, guest lecturers, and experts in the field. Study ecological impacts, forest regeneration, sustainable land practices, and conservation on an excursion to northern Ecuador’s patchwork of cloud forests. The second semester unfolds in Africa, with time split between Cape Town, South Africa, and Lilongwe, Malawi. Over 15 weeks, you will engage in comparative analyses of design thinking, monitoring and evaluation, economics, resource management, health policy, and trade. In the final semester of this one-year program, you will spend 10 to 12 weeks in a full-time practicum in a role and location of your choice.

The Tropical Conservation Semester offers a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Ecuador, where you will immerse yourself in Latin American culture and language, and explore some of the most pristine and wildlife-packed sites on the planet. You will experience the immense biodiversity of Ecuador from the Amazon Rainforest, to the Andes Mountains, to the Galápagos Islands. Ceiba has partnered with the University of Wisconsin to offer an unparalleled semester in applied tropical ecology, conservation, and rural community development. We join real-world conservation projects, and encourage you to blend the academic and applied realms, bridging the gap between classroom science and practical conservation. This one-of-a-kind semester is ideal for undergraduate students in biological and social fields who seek interdisciplinary training for careers in habitat protection, tropical ecology, environmental education, and international development.

Travel to San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos Islands for two weeks on this study abroad adventure. With 97% uninhabited conservation land, the Galapagos Islands are home to many species, including sea lions, sea turtles, rays, hundreds of species of fish, hammerhead sharks, blue-footed boobies, and the famous Galapagos tortoise. During this program, students work alongside a marine instructor to help research marine fish populations of the Galapagos by tracking numbers in real-time in the water, creating a presentation of findings, and learning about the marine ecology of the area and the anatomy of the variety of marine species. They also learn to scuba dive and earn their Open Water Diver certificate. Time outside of coursework can be spent relaxing and exploring the pristine beaches, doing beach yoga, snorkeling, going on hikes, and seeing the sights in Quito.

The program is designed to provide students with a unique one-to-one interaction with Spanish native speakers in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest and the Andean Region of Ecuador. With the Sustainable Communities in Ecuador program, students will be living with families in each community we will be visiting, maximizing the amount of contact with the target language and culture. They will explore, learn, and document the work some indigenous groups have been doing since the new constitution was approved back in 2008.