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7 July 2020
WORLD SPORT'S
EDUCATION PARTNER
World Academy of Sport launches pioneering global sports industry educational pathway 'From High School to Higher Education'
THE World Academy of Sport (WAoS) is delighted to announce the launch of its pioneering Global Sports Industry Educational Pathway which offers a flexible and convenient sports industry learning journey from high school through to higher education.
The Pathway closely integrates WAoS’ extensive international industry expertise with academic rigour through a series of sports industry education programmes that have been developed over the last few years in recognition of the increasing demand for remote learning.
Speaking about the launch of the new Global Sports Industry Educational Pathway, WAoS’ managing director Chris Solly, says: 'Our Global Sports Industry Educational Pathway draws on nearly two decades of WAoS building unique, best-of-breed industry solutions that are based on extensive and global practitioner-based knowledge generated by WAoS’ in house experts, our Visiting Fellows and our International Advisory Board, chaired by François Carrard. We now offer a full industry education pathway that supports athletes who wish to balance their sport and education all the way through to postgraduate studies and beyond for anyone within the sports industry or those wishing to enter it.
“The online nature of this Pathway reflects our long-established recognition that distance learning would always become increasingly important. It is convenient and accessible as well as a safe and cost effective way for people to study in these challenging times. Our Pathway, created with the support of our Global Education Partners, means the industry will be enhanced for years to come by qualified professionals in sport management who are able to meet the diverse and wide ranges of career demands.”
WAoS’ new Global Sports Industry Educational Pathway has three elements:
- WAoS offers students aged between 16-18 years an International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme in International Sport Management through IB World Schools. This is an online foundation study option that connects young minds with successful sporting careers allowing those students to turn their passion into a profession. Over two years, students can combine career-related studies in International Sport Management as part of the IB Diploma Programme. Successful graduates will receive credit and direct entry into WAoS’ undergraduate programme.
- WAoS has partnered with Australia’s Federation University to deliver an online Bachelor of International Sport Management undergraduate degree for anyone over 18 years of age. The flexibility of the degree allows part-time students up to 10 years to complete their degree, offering athletes who might otherwise sacrifice tertiary education the opportunity to complete their education while training and competing.
- WAoS, in partnership with University of London in the UK, has launched an online Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in International Sports Management for those aged in their 20s and above looking to build on existing qualifications or industry expertise. It can be completed in a minimum of one academic year to a maximum of five years, recognising that people in the sports industry require varying levels of learning at different stages in their lives or may have limited time available.
Haif Bannayan, IB Director of Outreach and Conferences, comments: “We are excited to see the further developments in the partnership with WAoS that has seen innovations be piloted and proven for IB students over a number of years. It is most exciting that we are able to extend the provision of flexibility for student-athletes to those wishing to undertake the Career-related Programme.
“This unique approach provides a global framework to those students who are strongly committed to excelling in both their sport aspirations and their education studies. The IB, together with WAoS, is removing the perception of sacrifices that student-athletes have to make to an approach whereby such commitments can be achieved through well-supported, flexible options.”
Professor Mary Stiasny OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), University of London, says: “The sports industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and here at the University of London, we are pleased to be playing our part in helping with the recovery of this sector through the WAoS initiative to make students more ‘job ready’ for this specialist area of work.”
Professor Helen Bartlett, Vice-Chancellor and President of Federation University, says: “WAoS’ Global Sports Industry Educational Pathway is certainly a shining light as we focus on new forms of digital education and enhanced student experience and Federation University Australia is proud to be part of this partnership.
“As we navigate the turmoil of the past few months, universities and colleges are embracing the latest technology to ensure student continuity, and it is exciting to see that WAoS is already a leader in this space. We look forward to guiding the next generation of industry professionals as they connect globally, build international contacts and relationships and create a catalyst for future growth and change.”
In parallel to launching the Global Sports Industry Educational Pathway, WAoS has unveiled an Educational Support Package of scholarships that is backed by its Global Education Partners University of London and Federation University. These scholarships are being offered to all WAoS’ partners in the global sporting ecosystem including International Sporting Federations, their national members, government partners and the IB school community providing them with the educational tools and ‘know how’ needed to help sport navigate through the challenges ahead arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chris Solly, who has witnessed the devastating impact that COVID-19 has on lives, says: “What WAoS is announcing in terms of our scholarships is only one small part of the global effort that will be needed to rebuild and reimagine sport. The package is being made available due to the support of our educational partners along with our dedicated team of experts at WAoS.”
The Educational Support Package of scholarships is open to the Olympian community worldwide with Joël Bouzou OLY, President, World Olympians Association, commenting: “WAoS’ new Global Sports Industry Educational Pathway will provide opportunities for Olympians to create new and exciting career options. By applying the same level of commitment they have shown throughout their competitive sporting life, Olympians are some of the most successful at transferring skills into new careers.
“World Olympians Association, alongside our global network of National Olympians Associations, is continuously looking to form alliances which provide new opportunities to benefit Olympians, and this scholarship educational support package will offer new ways to gain professional and credible qualifications.”
Professor Mary Stiasny OBE added: “In keeping with our tradition of providing access to quality higher education for more than 160 years, we are pleased to be supporting the scholarship scheme. This will provide students, who may otherwise not be able to afford to register for the award, with the opportunity to access our Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in International Sports Management. This is an invaluable industry focused award that will open up new opportunities for our students in the sports sector post COVID-19 recovery.”
The WAoS educational support package launched on the 1st of July 2020 and runs through to June 2021, leading into the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Individuals and schools associated with WAoS’ partners wishing to access the educational support package can do so through their respective organisations.
Media Contacts:
Vicki Maltby
+44 (0) 7968 541 430
Tim Thorowgood
Tim.thorowgood@hkstrategies.com
Student queries:
Stephanie Keller, Academic Relations Director, WAoS – skeller@worldacademysport.com
Notes for Editors
About WAoS
The World Academy of Sport (WAoS) delivers learning programmes for sports and event participants - athletes, managers, administrators, officials and coaches - through a series of tailored educational programmes. For further information visit: https://worldacademy.sport
Further information about the WAoS Global Sports Industry Education Pathway can be found at: https://istudy.sport
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OUR PARTNERS
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Many activities have been established to support the IOC’s Games Department and OCOGs through applying several WAoS methodologies. For example, The Games Experience Programme, developed to provide unique behind the scenes learning for the major event industry, Learning Pathways have been established and implemented in OCOGs along with online learning, case studies, train the trainer and executive education programmes among others and all underpinned by ‘Censeo’, the WAoS Learning Platform.
OGKM evolved in 2020 to now be known as Information, Knowledge and Games Learning (IKL). This evolution provides a refreshed focus on learning for the future of Games Management activities.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
Through planning with WAoS over 18 months, a strategy was constructed to develop the Olympic Games Learning Model (OGLM) to better service each respective Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (OCOG) and instil a passion for ‘learning and sharing’. Subsequent to the strategy development, WAoS has worked as the education provider to OGKM to develop and implement a number of learning services across the IOC Games Management Team and with future OCOGs.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
Formerly Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM), this area of the International Olympic Committee was responsible for the capture, configuration and disemination of knowledge related to Games delivery. Following London 2012, OGKM was poised to embark on a new strategy, namely OGKM 3.0. Learning was an important aspect that was focused on within the natural evolution of OGKM, and therefore a conversation with WAoS was instigated to develop this new approach.
Player Pathway Programme
FIBA
Here is a diverse selection of various projects that we have created and delivered
Bahrian Olympic Committee (BOC)
Sports Authority of Thailand
IPC Academy
Badminton World Federation (BWF)
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
IPC Academy Inclusion Summit
IPC Academy Excellence Programme
Information, Knowledge and Games Learning (IKL)
Games Campus
OUR PROJECTS
OUTCOMES
The 3x3 School Hoops pilot project garnered significant interest from 16 Greater Manchester area schools and considerable participation from both girls and boys. With the success of the 3x3 School Hoops Festival, social media coverage and Press Releases distributed through FIBA.basketball drew attention and impressions to the 3x3 School Hoops programme. The programme is now expanding through roll-out in other UK cities and other countries thereafter.
SOLUTION
Through WAoS’ longstanding relationship with the city of Manchester and the participation of Basketball England, the FIBA Academy (a joint venture between FIBA and World Academy of Sport) developed a 6 month programme, establishing a training framework to engage schools and develop resources for teachers and students to implement 3x3 in schools throughout the city. WAoS developed and delivered training sessions, learning materials, drills books, exercises and curriculums for physical education classes in local schools. The programme culminated in an outdoor 3x3 School Hoops festival hosted at Manchester City’s iconic Etihad Stadium on July 12 2019, with the participation of FIBA 3x3 skills gold medal winner Dahlia Monteiro.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
With 3x3 basketball set to become the newest Olympic discipline at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the opportunity was there to create a grassroots mass participation programme engaging local schools, communities and the National Federation. The discipline, as the world’s most played urban team sport, provided an excellent platform to showcase WAoS’ People Development methodology, by training Ambassadors, Physical Education Coaches and students thereby increasing participation in youth sports and leveraging interest in 3x3 basketball locally.
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Our Sports Partners:
Feedback throughout 2019 was extremely positive and the ITF has now embarked on further engagement with its members to make use of the tools that the ITF Academy provides.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
Following a selective competitive tender, WAoS was identified as the stand-out respondent to the requirements of the large technology project that was envisioned given our tried and tested learning platform, our understanding of the needs of international sport federations and our approach to partnership. The design of the ITF Academy was instigated which entailed the provision of a simple self-publishing eLearning SaaS solution, a complete rebuild of iCoach - with additional features to future proof the system - and an overhaul of coaching certification and on-court-assessments. Naturally, the approach was undertaken in a responsive context with the site now recognised as significant in the digital portfolio of the ITF. It was also the first partnership to apply the new ITF brand allowing a partner to implement this for the first time.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
The ITF recognised the need to update its coaching processes to better utilise digital technologies and further enhance its service offering to all member nations. Additionally, its successful but dated iCoach platform (which provided rich video content and resources to tennis coaches around the world), was increasingly becoming difficult to maintain given technologies had moved on dramatically from when it was first developed in the mid-2000s.
Following the successful Observers Programmes in Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010, the IPC Academy identified that there was a broader group of organisations and individuals that could be serviced through an expanded programme and also enhance the existing offering of the Observers Programme. Traditionally, the Observers Programme was delivered throughout the Paralympic Games and provided the opportunity for future OCOGs, Bid Cities and other Paralympic event organisers to see ‘behind the scenes’ and hear from OCOG leaders and other experts in order to better understand Games operations.
Meanwhile, the Games Experience programme(GEP) is an integrated education journey coordinated by WAoS for future OCOGs. The GEP provides anopportunity for individuals to participate in a structured, tailor-made programme, which allows OCOGs to not only witness and observe real Games-time operations, but to have access to the various managers and knowledgeable staff to enhance their learning process.
Due to the success of the GEP, the IOC has integrated its former Observers Programme into the framework of the Games Campus concept. The GEP is now delivered as one continuous learning opportunity from before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games right through to the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games. WAoS works with both the IOC and IPC to deliver this important operation over a 60-day period.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
BUSINESS CONTEXT
The Inclusion Summit has become an important fixture throughout the Paralympic Games, and presenters have included political ministers, representatives of the World Bank, UN Secretary General and US State Department among many others. During the Rio 2016 Inclusion Summit, the conversation was taken much wider through social media where #InclusionSummit trended as number three across both days of the Summit on Twitter.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
BUSINESS CONTEXT
Leading into the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the IPC recognised the work that had been proactively achieved by the OCOG in relation to inclusion and accessibility. It was an important time for the Paralympic Movement to extend its brand positioning and to actively push the message of what the Paralympic Games could achieve for social inclusion.
There has been consistent reference to the IPC Academy Excellence Programme across numerous Games editions at the official Games Debrief. Senior OCOG leaders have praised the inspirational programme as a key contributor to the success and product growth of the Paralympic Games and of their teams.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
Throughout 2009 and 2010, thorough planning was undertaken by the IPC Academy (an educational division created in 2009 as a partnership between the IPC and WAoS), with Sochi 2014 and the IPC to create a number of workshops which would take the OCOG through key learnings and inspire its people to deliver an exceptional games.
Following this initial roll out of what was called the IPC Academy Excellence Programme, all subsequent OCOGs have been fortunate to receive this learning programme which is unique in its structured and coordinated approach to deliver near market insights within an educational framework. The programme continues to this day and plays an important role in the ongoing integration between IOC and IPC operations.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
Following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) looked to leverage long term opportunities that would further grow and enhance the Games. With Vancouver 2010 already close to delivery and London 2012 well progressed in its planning, a longer term strategy was taken to begin engagement with Sochi 2014. This aimed to implement a coordinated learning pathway over a number of years to identify how Sochi 2014 could maximise the opportunity of the Paralympic Winter Games.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
A partnership with WAoS created the IPC Academy to develop various education frameworks and structures in order to help the IPC to achieve its strategic priorities. This involved many projects being established with sustainable structures which have gone on to become embedded in the Paralympic Movement. This includes activities across Games management such as the Excellence Programme and Games Campus, NPC development programmes in partnership with the Agitos Foundation, and technical programmes for classifiers and technical officials.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
IPC Academy
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is a unique organisation as the custodian of the Paralympic Games, governs a number of Paralympic Sport disciplines and is governed through a diverse membership of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), International Federations (IFs) and International Sport Organisation for Disabled (ISODs). In the mid-2000s,the IPC realised that it needed an education partner that understood international sport and could assist it in its future development given its limited resources and small but committed staff headcount.
Over the years, the SAT Sports Leaders Programme has grown in reputation and is recognised as the preeminent sport programme in Thailand open to NF board member/staff and senior SAT leadership. It has now been delivered for over a decade, and due to its success, SAT has further expanded its education offering to the national sport community in Thailand through additional WAoS education programmes and study tours.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
WAoS also worked with SAT and the Thailand Olympic and Paralympic Committees to identify and structure a longitudinal relationship with Manchester City Council in the lead up to London 2012. This involved several years of cooperation culminating in pre-Games training camps in Manchester.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
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SAT was looking to identify ways to enhance its national sport federations and better support Thailand’s athletes throughout the mid-2000s given the various international events that were being hosting in the country such as the Summer Universiade. With various projects and major events successfully delivered, SAT recognised areas that could be enhanced and sought to identify a partner which could empower its national sport communities and leverage its international position.
Over a number of years, the programmes engaged and developed the Bahrain sport sector and introduced participants to new and innovative approaches to sport development and management. The BOC also involved the regional sporting bodies and provided opportunities for various countries throughout the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council).
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
WAoS was engaged to identify how such a programme could be effectively implemented throughout the Bahrain sporting sector and enhance the professionalisation of sports locally. Through a detailed analysis, it was identified that a programme pathway for sport administrators would provide the necessary skills development required locally to achieve the overall goals of the BOC. These programmes provided international expertise along with localised content and context to develop individuals from the local club level through to leadership roles in sport.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
Having established a well-defined coaching pathway across Bahrain, the BOC identified a gap in the management of its National Federations (NFs). It embarked on a programme of modernisation to allow common administrative functions to be provided more consistently across NFs in order to allow them to focus on the important aspects of developing their respective sports and athletes.
Resources and courses have now touched all corners of the globe and member associations have been inspired to create opportunities for their communities to play badminton, often for the first time. One endearing story involved badminton representatives in a small nation in Oceania who were initially overwhelmed on the first day of a Player Pathway Programme. However, by the end, they embraced the new ideas and went on to create the nation’s first national championships and junior national championships within months of the programme. This has evolved to a coordinated player pathway from Shuttle Time being delivered in schools through to opportunities for players to compete internationally.
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
The education vision that BWF identified had an immediate resonance with WAoS and we could clearly see how and where we could add value to their programme offering. We progressed a variety of activities focusing on providing programmes that support the development of BWF’s member associations through administration courses and events courses. Additionally, our platform has progressively played a more important role as Shuttle Time and coaching online courses now create blended learning opportunities. These reduce the time spent in face to face workshops and ultimately save resources of member associations due to a reduction in time and space requirements for such courses.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
Over a number of years, BWF had established some key strategic development projects and identified a vision for its development activities in the longer term. Central to this was the creation of Shuttle Time (its worldwide schools programme) and its coaching programmes. It also identified that additional programmes would need to be established which were best served through a partnership approach with WAoS.
- talent pool creation strategies based on ‘end-point’ planning;
- strategies to identify and select athletes into the player pathway;
- talent development strategies with associated KPIs and resource planning;
- talent presentation strategies that ensure players have the greatest chance of success;
- talent retention and engagement strategies;
- support services linked to pathway and player requirements; and
- stakeholder integration and strategies for a shared vision.
Participants should have achieved the following outcomes at the completion of the programme:
- Understand the key elements and inputs required for the development of a performance pathway plan for their organisation.
- Recognise the role of the athlete pathway in underpinning the development of high-performance outcomes for their organisation.
- Create an action plan to underpin the development of a clear, robust and well-articulated performance pathway plan which includes:
OUTCOMES
SOLUTION
Overall, the programme not only facilitates understanding behind the approach required to build and manage athlete pathways but also provides a systematic and practical approach to developing a performance pathway plan that enables IFs to work with member associations/ national federations to implement and activate over the following years
Key aspects of programme delivery include:
- Three-day intensive Executive Education style programme.
- Pre-programme preparation, group work during the programme, additional individual planning sessions in evenings, and post-programme plan development.
- Regional delivery utilising region-specific and sport-specific content.
BUSINESS CONTEXT
The Athlete Pathway Programme provides an appropriate global intervention that can be delivered on a regional basis, with the aim to have more member associations/ national federations aware of the importance of athlete pathways and performance planning. The programme is focussed on empowering member associations/ national federations to understand the key elements in leading and supporting a clear athlete pathway enabled through effective performance pathway planning for their sport/ organisation. Through the identification of short, medium and long-term goals, the programme highlights ways to maximise outputs at each stage of the pathway.
The Athlete Pathway Programme has been delivered across multiple regions and languages for various levels of member associations/ national federations. Partners include BWF, ICC, WCF, World Rugby as well as several open intake programmes.