213 SU Update: George E. Killian: ‘FISU cannot keep up with Kazan’s Progress’

FISU President Killian receives a gift 

KAZAN – Russian Student Sports Union President Oleg Matytsin made a presentation of the FISU International Education Centre which is to start its work at the UniversiadeVillage this year.

The FISU officials were extremely impressed with the project presented to sports managers from all over the world at the International Conference ‘Sport. Education. Culture’.

The FISU International Education Centre will be inaugurated on the basis of the Volga Region Academy of Physical Culture and Tourism this November. Ten young representatives of FISU Continental Associations are to become first students of the centre. «We expect that each year the number of students in the FISU Education Centre will be increasing», Oleg Matytsin explained. «The education program will include specialized long-term courses, short-term summer workshops and e-learning system. In the first academic year international students will be offered to study Russian, next year we plan to launch education programs enabling them to get a Master’s degree in sports PR and HR, management, marketing, etc. Management of sporting events, including the University Games of course, will be one of the central themes in the education program. Thus, the FISU Education Centre is to contribute to Games-to-Games experience transfer. We hope to set up a reliable relationship with FISU Continental Associations, as well as with leading universities, whose experience will favor the enhancement of academic education at the FISU International Education Centre inKazan.»

The RSSU President revealed that the education centre’s infrastructure would meet all the sports education requirements. TheUniversiadeVillage, where the centre will be headquartered, will provide the education establishment with all the necessary sports, training and administrative facilities. «We believe it’s necessary to run the FISU International Education Centre on the ground of partnership established between governmental and non-governmental organizations, and third-party partners. A special role will be given to the Supervisory Board which is to be headed by the FISU President. There will also be the Expert Council made up of rectors of leading world universities. For example, a rector ofPekingUniversityhas already expressed eagerness to enter the cooperation», Oleg Matytsin said.

Stressing the importance of the centre’s immediate start-up, Oleg Matytsin stated: «We need to commence operations without delay. In such a case, the FISU Education Centre inKazanpromises to become a unique project. Before launching the network of international education centres all over the world, FISU need to support the operation of the first centre on the threshold of the 2013 Summer Universiade. For a start, let there be one high-grade, in-demand and efficient education centre instead of ten mediocre ones.»

Immediately after the presentation, the floor was given to FISU President George E. Killian. «FISU has always been searching ways of enhancing its role in the international community. In this regard, academic education is an extremely important line of development for our federation. And the project presented by the Kazan 2013 organizers has no equals in the history of world university sports movement. You are inspired with the ideas of creation and development of university sports. We were always guided by sport dimension in the University Games, while you managed to turn sport and a healthy way of life into youth’s idealogy and lifestyle. You are thinking forward and advancing with seven-league strides. We, in FISU, are not ready to such changes, it’s a bit challenging for us, that’s why I want you to be more patient with us. We admire how much work you’ve done and we admire the amount of work you intend to do. I hope that we will be able to help you, that we will have a close cooperation, because we need you. You have the experience that we can share with the whole world, so that students of various nations are living a better life», George E. Killian ended his speech.

The project of the FISU International Education Centre will be discussed at the FISU General Assembly in August. It is expected that the newly-elected FISU Executive Committee members will view the candidates for the FISU Education Centre’s Consultation Council.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)