The future of sport and development: Investing in teaching, learning and research
Educating our youth on how sport can enhance and affect the body, the mind, relationships and communities can truly transform the thinking of the new generation.
– Rhonda Clarke-Goden, University of Trinidad and Tobago
As the coronavirus pandemic has profoundly affected sport, including professional leagues and competitions, many have begun to question the role of sport in society. Should we be seeking to go back to business as usual? or is it time for sport to change? What needs to be done?
sportanddev recently published a call for articles on the future of sport and development, receiving a record 55 responses from writers across the world and from a range of backgrounds and sectors. We have analysed the published articles and identified 10 key and interlinked themes. The theme for this article is the need to build a more equitable and inclusive sport for development and sport sector.
sportanddev also hosted a webinar on the future of sport and development on 23 June, International Olympic Day with over 300 attendees! Click here to watch the recording.
Investing in teaching, learning and research
Teaching, learning and research remain important fundamentals to educate and sustain the sport for development movement. Making sport for development more prominent within educational institutions can enable new leaders in this field to emerge. After all, students represent the future and need to be critically engaged.
There should be more sport degrees, educational seminars, life skills workshops and community breakout sessions. Combining coursework with opportunities for internships and fellowships is vital. Partnerships between scholars and practitioners may help to bridge gaps between theory, policy and practice.
Greater synergies between sport and academia may broaden the use of sport in education, while using science and approaches from elite sport can help us better measure and understand the impact of sport for development.
What are the other topics writers emphasised? Find out more.
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