Call For Applications: Master’s Degree “Olympic Studies, Olympic Education, Organisation and Management of Olympic Events”

1st semester: 15/9 – 18/11/2023, 2nd semester: 7/4 – 9/6/2024

Application deadline: 30 April 2023

IOA, Campus

The Department of Sports Organization and Management (in Sparta-Greece) of the University of Peloponnese in collaboration with the International Olympic Academy organizes for the Academic year of 2023-2024 the Master’s Degree Programme.

The Master’s Degree Programme in Olympic Studies constitutes an innovation in the Olympic Movement at an international level and is supported by the Olympic Solidarity (International Olympic Committee) with a number of scholarships. The educational programme is based on the three pillars of the Olympic Movement: Education, Sports, and Culture, which constitute the foundation of Olympism and Olympic Pedagogy.

The philosophy of the programme is consistent with the philosophy of the Olympic Movement for the diffusion of the Olympic ideal worldwide, the promotion of knowledge and research in Olympic issues and global participation.

POSTGRADUATE TITLE
The Master’s degree Programme’s title is “Olympic Studies, Olympic Education, Organization and Management of Olympic Events” (MSc).

OBJECTIVES

  • The promotion of knowledge and research on issues of Olympic philosophy and Olympic Pedagogy, Olympic Education, organization and management of Olympic Games, Mega events and in general Olympic and sport studies.
  • To provide students with specialized knowledge at a postgraduate level on issues related to Olympic Studies as well as the necessary means for their academic, professional or research career.
  • To provide a specialized workforce that will organize and direct Olympic and athletic institutions, promote the growth of programmes of Olympic education on an international level and contribute to the creation of a scientific background for the growth and organization of sports.

APPLICATIONS

The following categories of students may be admitted to the Master’s Degree Programme: bachelor degree holders from Greek and foreign Higher Educational Institutions, preferably officials of National Olympic Academies, National Olympic Committees, the International Olympic Committee, International Federations, National Federations and EU Committees for Education, Culture and Sport or researchers of Centers for Olympic Studies, Schools of Sports Organization and Management, Physical Education, Journalism, Economic Faculties, Pedagogy  Faculties, Humanities and other Departments, as well as corresponding Departments of recognized institutions of equivalent status in Greece and abroad. The number of students is limited to forty (40).

DURATION OF PROGRAMME

The duration of the programme is three (3) semesters. Students are required to attend two semesters (winter and summer, 9 weeks per semester) of lectures in Greece. The third semester is dedicated to the preparation of the master thesis at the student’s place.

LOCATION

The programme will take place in Ancient Olympia, in collaboration with the International Olympic Academy, and in the facilities of the University of Peloponnese in Sparta.

Kindly note that, in both, Ancient Olympia and Sparta students are allocated in twin rooms.

TEACHING PROGRAMME
The presence of the students at all the lectures is mandatory and the submission of module assignments and examinations at the end of each semester as well as the dissertation project at the end of the 3rd semester will determine the success of the participants in this programme.  All lectures are held in English language.

1st Semester
Mandatory Modules   
1.    The history and philosophy of sport in Antiquity: the birth of sport and its evolution
2.    The modern Olympic Games (revival, historic development of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games – social, political and cultural aspects of the Olympic Games – Olympic Institutions – Olympic Law)
3.    Sport and Ethics – Olympic Philosophy
4.    Olympic Pedagogy I: Development and implementation of Olympic education programmes in schools
5.    Research methods in Social Sciences and Olympic Studies

2nd Semester
Mandatory Modules   
1.    Olympic Pedagogy II: Development and implementation of Olympic education programmes in schools
2.    Olympic Games and major sports events: Organization and management
3.    Sports marketing and Olympic sponsoring

  Optional Modules (2 from below)  
1.    Olympic Movement and International relations
2.    Integrity in sport
3.    Strategic and operational planning of major sports events
4.     Financial management of sports organizations
5.    Sport policies

3rd semester
Preparation, submission and presentation of Master’s Thesis.   

TUITION FEES & BOARDING COST
The tuition fees for the programme payable by the students are 5.000,00 Euros (cost per student) for the three semesters. (They are due and payable in three (3) installments, before the beginning of each semester. Additionally, the cost of full boarding at the IOA premises costs 3.500,00 Euros in total for both semesters.                                                                                                                                                     

2023 MEMOS XXVI Candidature Process Has Opened

The candidature process for MEMOS XXVI (August 2023 – September 2024) is open and interested persons are being invited to apply.

MEMOS is an Executive Masters in Sport Organisation Management. The mission of MEMOS is to  help professionals working in national or international sports bodies to develop the knowledge  required in order to better manage their organizations. 

Each course consists of modules focusing on specific aspects of sports management (for example,  strategic management and governance; project and event management). A key element of the  course is the development of a project which should directly benefit the participant’s  organization. Therefore, participants and their organizations must discuss and agree on an  appropriate MEMOS project before applying. 

FURTHER DETAILS ON THE PROGRAMME:

DOWNLOAD THE MEMOS XXVI PROGRAM LEAFLET

DOWNLOAD THE MEMOS XXVI BROCHURE

The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) will recommend one candidate for an Olympic  Solidarity Scholarship to pursue this course. Interested candidates should submit an application to the Director, National Olympic Academy at vdcadogan@olympic.org.bb (cc:  info@olympic.org.bb) by Monday, 8 May 2023 with the following documents: 

▪ Cover letter describing their involvement in sport and explaining their interest in MEMOS (pdf format); 
▪ Curriculum vitae (pdf format); 
▪ Copy of Barbados ID card (jpg format); 
▪ Information about their MEMOS project (pdf format); 
▪ Recommendation letter from their National Federation (pdf format) – should include a  brief synopsis of the candidate’s involvement in the particular sport and sport in general;
▪ Copy of completed MEMOS Application (pdf format) – email received from MEMOS.

Admission Requirements  

▪ Significant experience in management in a sport organization; 
▪ A relevant university degree or comparable professional experience as judged by the  MEMOS selection committee. 

Applicants should be prepared to attend an interview on a date to be announced.

Further details may be obtained at https://memos.degree/program/.

International Coaching Course (ICC)

International Coaching Course (ICC)

The ICC is designed to train and educate coaches from around the world. The programme attempts to promote and develop excellence in coaching. The course provides coaches with a systematic way to improve their knowledge and skills in the theoretical, technical and practical aspects of coaching.

The ICC is delivered by the Hungarian University of Sports Science. It is an intensive, concentrated and intermediate level course. The duration of the course is three months. The course content in detail has been carefully selected to meet the needs of coaches working with generally young, developing athletes as well as with advanced athletes of elite sport. Completion of both theory and practical/technical components of the programme is essential. All participants are involved in practical coaching work in the leading Hungarian sport clubs, supervised by the senior lecturer and/or his/her assistants of the particular sport.

The programme includes 120 theoretical and 180 practical teaching hours. Students receive intensive education in Anatomy, Physiology, Sport Psychology, Sport Pedagogy, Sport Sociology, Sport Management, Sport Administration, Sport and Research and Sport Practice. Examinations in the student’s respective sport consist of sports theory and sports practice. The exams may consist of written, oral and/or practical requirements.

The following core sports/disciplines will be offered: Basketball, Fencing, Football, Handball, Judo, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball, Water-Polo, Wrestling and General Conditioning

Further information is available on the website of the university.

Applications Open for International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP) 2023

International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP)

ICECP is a high-level coaching education course offered by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), in partnership with Olympic Solidarity and the University of Delaware.

ICECP aims to provide national level coaches, and those responsible for the development of the national coaching structures in their countries, with a practical program focused on developing proficiency in the areas of coaching leadership, sport sciences, talent identification, athlete development, coaching education, grassroots sports development and ethical aspects of coaching at all levels of competition and across multiple sports. The focus of the program includes training participants to identify and develop athletes as well as to provide the participants with the skills and competencies needed to educate aspiring coaches in their home country.

The program will lay theoretical foundations and offer practical applications for the further growth of sport, coaching and the Olympic ideals within their home country. The intended outcome is for ICECP participants to return to their countries and to serve as coaches within their respective sports as well as become foundation builders for future coaches and athletes while spreading the Olympic spirit.

Further information is available on the ICECP website.

Barbadian Handball Coach Awarded Scholarship to International Support Program for African and Caribbean Sport

Multitalented Barbadian Athlete and Coach Andre Moore has been awarded a scholarship from Olympic Solidarity to participate in the International Support Program for African and Caribbean Sport (PAISAC).

From November 1, 2022, to May 15, 2023, Moore will be immersed in the program focused on training coaches in applied sports sciences. Its objectives include improving coaching with competency development, encouraging and increasing the number of women in sports and implementing a national training program in applied sports sciences based on the Canadian model.

Director of the National Olympic Academy, Vaneisha Cadogan, lauded Moore’s achievement and highlighted the academy’s commitment to excellence. “We are always seeking avenues to sharpen the capacity of our sports officials, which will, in turn, boost Barbados’ athlete development efforts. Andre Moore’s impressive track record shows his talent as a coach and as an athlete, and we know that he, and ultimately Handball, will benefit tremendously from this scholarship,” Cadogan said.

Andre Moore has served as the national coach for the Men’s and Women’s Handball Teams since 2019. He is a physical education teacher at Parkinson Memorial Secondary School, a certified exercise physiologist and a group exercise instructor. He has been an assistant coach with UWI Blackbirds Track and Field since 2016.

Among his achievements, Moore is a certified coach in Beach Handball (International Handball Federation), Track and Field (World Athletics Level 1), and Olympic Weightlifting (International Weightlifting Federation).

MEMOS Distinction for Haynes

On September 9, 2022, Dionne Haynes, Vice President of the Barbados Badminton Association, graduated from the MEMOS (Executive Masters in Sports Organisations Management) programme with a Distinction.

Haynes commenced the MEMOS XXIV programme last September. The course consisted of four modules, in person and online, and covered topics such as Strategic Management and Governance, Performance and Risk Management, Human Resources Management and Leadership, Marketing Management, Financial Management and Project and Event Management.

Participants also pursued a research/project module between the first three sessions. Each participant’s project focused on the management of their respective sporting organisation. The fourth session was dedicated to the participants’ public defence of those projects and was followed by a graduation ceremony.

The highly competitive MEMOS programme is held annually and attracts participants from all five continents. Haynes is the fifth Barbadian to have been selected to undertake the MEMOS programme.

The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) Inc. is incredibly proud of Haynes’ achievement of a Distinction and wishes her all the best in her future endeavours.

National Session for Young Participants 2022 (NSYP 2022) This August

The National Session for Young Participants will be held on Saturday, 20 August – Sunday 21 August 2022 at Erdiston Teachers’ Training  College. There is still an opportunity for young persons between the ages of 20 and 30 years to participate in this exciting programme. You are encouraged to select a young person from your sport and enroll him/her. You have until Friday, 05 August 2022 to send the name of the individual/s to the undersigned. However, you should submit your names as soon as possible, since acceptance is on a first come first served basis. Also, remember that participants in this seminar are eligible for selection to attend the International Session for Young Participants 2023 (recently renamed the International Session for Young Olympic Ambassadors) in Greece.

Below is some of the information about this activity that we circulated previously:

Objectives

  • Develop the leadership capacity of young sportspersons
  • Introduce participants to Olympism and its ideals and increase their knowledge of Olympic issues
  • Provide a forum for young sportspersons to engage in dialogue on issues of relevance in sport
  • Identify potential candidates to attend the annual IOA International Session for Young Olympic Ambassadors (previously called the International Session for Young Participants)

Main Topic

Sport and the Pandemic: Challenges, opportunities and changes for Barbados and the Caribbean

Dates & Times

Saturday, 20 August 2022: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, 21 August 2022: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Another Barbadian Selected for MEMOS

Julia Broome has been accepted to participate in the Executive Masters in Sport Organisations Management (MEMOS) XXV Programme, which runs from August 2022 to September 2023.

MEMOS seeks to develop the knowledge of professionals working in national or international sports bodies in order to enhance the management of their organisations. Broome’s 25 years of experience in sports and sports management made her an excellent candidate for the programme.

As Chairperson of the Youth and Junior Commission, she is responsible for the development of volleyball for young children. She is also the Barbados Female Youth Volleyball team manager. She has been an executive member of the Barbados Volleyball Association since 2019, when she was elected as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer.

She was first introduced to the Barbados Volleyball Association by playing on the Barbados Female Junior Volleyball Team from 1997 to 1999. Broome is also a founding member of Warrens Sports Club, which was integral in organising and hosting the inaugural Warrens Beach Classic and National Primary Schools’ Invitational Volleyball Championships. These two ventures sought to promote the development of volleyball in Barbados.

Through the MEMOS Programme, participants will pursue several modules that focus on specific aspects of sports management, including strategic management and governance, performance and risk management, financial management, human resources management, leadership and change management. Participants will also conduct an individual project designed to improve the management of their organisation. 

She is ecstatic about the opportunity and has set her sights on being the top student in this cohort. Moreover, she intends to use the knowledge gained to become more involved in the administration of sports in Barbados. 

I have a love for young people. I have a love for sports. I see that sports can open many doors and present many opportunities for young people who wouldn’t otherwise have these opportunities. I want to see young people achieve. I want to see sports in Barbados move to the next level. I know we do very, very well across the board in almost all sporting disciplines at the youth and junior level, but for some reason, we haven’t been able to break that barrier when it comes to seniors and adults on the international stage,” Broome said.

Reflecting on her MEMOS Project, she explained that her goal is to explore the use of technology to enhance the management of sports and national teams in Barbados.

“We are in the final stages of producing a youth and junior policy on volleyball for the island, and in this, we saw that there is a void in the use of technology, in the preparation of teams and even in the teaching of the sport of volleyball as a whole. So that’s what my project is going to be. I’m going to use it in the preparation of the youth and junior teams; however, I want it to transcend into the preparation of any person learning to play volleyball, whether you are eight years old or 30 years old. I want to see how technology, including things like ball machines and blocking machines, which make a coach’s job much easier, can enhance our level of play and what we ultimately produce when we go to championships to represent the island. I am hoping that this allows me to help all federations in Barbados to take sports to the next level,” she stated.

The Youth and Junior Commission Chair is honoured to have been recommended by the Barbados Olympic Association Inc. for the MEMOS Programme and the accompanying Olympic Solidarity Scholarship. She looks forward to going to Switzerland this September for her first in-person session.

Applications Open for National Session for Young Participants 2022 (NSYP 2022)

Objectives 

  • Develop the leadership capacity of young sportspersons 
  • Introduce participants to Olympism and its ideals and increase their knowledge of Olympic  issues 
  • Provide a forum for young sportspersons to engage in dialogue on issues of relevance in  sport 
  • Identify potential candidates to attend the annual IOA International Session for Young  Olympic Ambassadors (previously called the International Session for Young Participants) 

Main Topic 

Sport and the Pandemic: Challenges, opportunities and changes for Barbados and the Caribbean 

Keynote Address 

COVID-19: A test of the resilience of sporting organizations 

Session Topics 

  • Planning Sporting Events in a Pandemic 
  • Protection and Participation: Considerations for safety in sport 
  • Managing Athlete Mental Health During and Post Pandemic 
  • Physical Literacy: Physical Education for sustainable sport 
  • The Impact of the Pandemic on Youth Athletes and their Future in Sport
  • Medals or Movement: Funding elite sport or a focus on development? 
  • The Role of Technology in Caribbean Sport in the Post Pandemic Period
  • Reshaping Sporting Federations for a Post Pandemic World 
  • Reengaging the Stakeholders in Sport 

Venue 

To be announced 

Dates & Times 

Saturday, 20 August 2022: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Sunday, 21 August 2022: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Criteria for Selection 

  • Candidates must be between the ages of 20 and 30 
  • Candidates must be active in their respective National Federation 
  • Candidates should have a genuine interest in the educational aspects of the activities  organized in the course of the Session and should have shown a special interest in the aims  of the National Olympic Academy and Barbados Olympic Association, as well asin current issues of Olympism 
  • Individuals who have previously attended an IOA International Session for Young  Participants or a National Session for Young Participants are not eligible to apply 

Selection Process 

  • 20 candidates will be selected to participate in the NSYP 
    • Selection will be on a first come, first served basis* 
  • Participants interested in being selected to attend an IOA Session will undergo a further  screening process 
    • Review of CV and motivational letter 
    • Interview 
  • A maximum of 6 participants will be selected for consideration for a subsequent IOA  Session 
    • Each will be required to deliver a presentation at NSYP 2022 
  • A maximum of 2 participants (1 male and/or 1 female) will be selected and recommended  to attend a subsequent IOA Session 

*Gender balance and distribution across National Federations will be considered 

Application Documents 

Interested applicants are required to submit the following: 

  • Motivational letter 
    • describing their involvement in sport 
    • explaining their interest in attending NSYP 2021 
    • explaining their interest in attending an IOA Session, where applicable
    • Curriculum vitae 
  • Passport size photograph 
  • Copy of birth certificate 
  • Letter of endorsement from the applicant’s National Federation 

Submissions/Deadline 

Applications should be sent to the Director, National Olympic Academy, at  vdcadogan@olympic.org.bb (cc. info@olympic.org.bb).  

The deadline for submission of ALL documents is Friday, 15 July 2022.

MEMOS XXV Candidature Process Has Opened

The candidature process for MEMOS XXV (August 2022 – September 2023) is open and interested persons are being invited to apply.

MEMOS is an Executive Masters in Sport Organisations Management. The mission of MEMOS is to help professionals working in national or international sports bodies to develop the knowledge required in order to better manage their organizations.

Each course consists of modules focusing on specific aspects of sports management (for example, strategic management and governance; financial management; project and event management). The key element of the course is the development of a project aiming to improve an aspect of the management of the participant’s organization.

Further details may be obtained at https://memos.degree/program/.

The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) will recommend one candidate for an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship to pursue this course. Interested candidates should submit an application to the Director, National Olympic Academy at vdcadogan@olympic.org.bb (cc: info@olympic.org.bb) by Tuesday, 07 June 2022 along with the following documents:

  • Curriculum vitae (pdf format)
  • Passport photograph (jpg format)
  • Information about your MEMOS project (pdf format)
  • Recommendation letter from your National Federation (pdf format) – this is an endorsement from the National Federation in support of the application for the course; this letter should confirm that the project outlined by the candidate has been discussed with the Federation prior to the submission of the application
  • Copy of completed MEMOS Candidature Form

Applicants should be prepared to attend an interview on Friday, 10 June 2022.
Please share this information with your members and encourage eligible candidates to apply.