adminPetros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
TOP United States tertiary institution. West Virginia University, has sealed a deal with the Sport Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe in a ground-breaking move.
This could pave the way for local administrators to tap into America’s vast network and experience in sport management.
The partnership came about following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by West Virginia and SLIZ and underscores the improving relations between American and Zimbabwean business institutions.
Crucially, for SLIZ, an emerging institution that is spearheading a crusade for the capacity building programmes for sport managers from various disciplines, their partnership with West Virginia also presents a host of opportunities for the administrators.
SLIZ president, Maradza Mhiribidi, and West Virginia University Provost, Joyce McConnell, signed the MOU on behalf of their organisations with the move also exciting the university’s media department who captured the development in the campus newspaper.
Mhiribidi and the SLIZ marketing director Clara Mukononyanga’s tour of West Virginia University in July virtually cemented the partnership.
The American are institution set to dispatch two of their College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences experts Floyd Jones and Sean Burger to Harare to conduct Level One and Level Two international sport management courses at the end of this month.
In their bulletin, West Virginia University media wrote:
“CPASS faculty are continuing an international partnership to build the capacity of sport and sport-related businesses within Zimbabwe.
‘’Executives and Board of Directors of the Sport Leadership Institute of Zimbabwe see the collaboration as a way to improve the quality of life and sport opportunities in their country.
“During a visit to WVU campus this past spring, much of Maradza Mhiribidi and Clara Mukononyanga’s time involved the design and expansion of professional development and short courses related to professionals in sport management, athletic coaching, physical education teacher education and possible sport and exercise psychology disciplines.’’
Jones is no stranger to Zimbabwe having visited the country last October in a highly-subscribed Level One course that also attracted some top Premiership club executives, rugby, basketball, netball, cricket as well as higher and tertiary education sport leaders.
West Virgigina University have also hailed the ground that Jones covered in working with SLIZ.
Online Reporter