Global Master’s Programme Sport for Development in Japan
The second part of the Global Master's Programme Sport for Development has taken place at the University of Tsukuba from July 18th until August 13th. Eleven students that previously spent a whole month together at Utrecht University School of Governance (USG) in the very cold month of February, gathered together on the other side of the world in Japan, during the very hot summer months.
Students studied the power of sports in the context of Disaster Response for Great Earthquake through the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Tokyo 2020 while traveling to the Tōhoku region to directly see and understand the impact and current status. This Tohoku region was severely hit in 2011, by both the nuclear meltdown of the Fukushima power plant, as well as the tsunami that was triggered by the earth quake.
Students were offered a variety of lectures on the Olympic movement, disaster recovery and Japanese culture. During the field visit to the Tohoku region students combined research with providing OVEP (Olympic Value Education Programme) activities for elderly and youth. Also, the students stayed over at Japanese host families who encountered the tsunami, which was an unforgettable and impactful experience. Next to a variety lectures and field visits, students trained their skills in several skills labs on Leadership and Cultural Sensitivity. Also, they worked on their personal and group development.
Students presented their findings and recommendations to several sports organisations based in Japan, such as Asics, the South African and Dutch embassy at the closing symposium on August 12 in Tsukuba. Being at their home universities again, students are now preparing for the final round of the GMP which will start at February 25th in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Global Master’s Programme Sport for Development
Utrecht University School of Governance (USG) offers the Global Master’s Programme - Sport for Development in close collaboration with The University of Johannesburg (South Africa) and the University of Tsukuba (Japan), and also with Eindhoven University of Technology as part of the Vitality Academy. Together, partners have set up an international, highly qualified Master’s Programme that prepares administrators and managers for this ‘new sport management and governance’ in Sport for Development. The Global Master’s Programme aims at educating the future global sport leaders and global citizens, who can give way to the contribution of (international) sport organisations to societal transformation, from a critical and practical perspective.
Please visit Globalsportsmaster.com and our page on facebook for our latest updates.