S2ABC Standard Course on Sport Administration Celebrates Successful Completion in Montenegro

A key feature of the Graduation Event was a group task, challenging participants to work together to create and develop a new, innovative sport club. Teams were tasked with preparing a 15-minute presentation to convince potential funders from the fictional International Sports Innovation Fund (ISIF) to support their initiative. This exercise required them to apply their learning in areas covered through the Course. The resulting presentations demonstrated participants’ growth and readiness to implement their new skills in real-world scenarios as well as their capacity to work in group.

Aurélien Favre, Executive Director of EOSE and S2ABC Project Leader, commented:

“The high-quality discussions and presentations in Podgorica clearly showcased the remarkable growth of the participants over the past six months. This course is truly making a significant impact in enhancing the skills of the future sport leaders and in strengthening the capacity of sport organisations across Europe and the Western Balkans. It has been an honour to meet such dedicated and inspirational participants and I wish them all the best in their career. I would like to thank Kirstie Simpson, our Course Director, and all Project Partners for their invaluable support in bringing this course to life.”

During the event, opportunities for active breaks and informal exchanges existed as participants could play a variety of sports utilising a Teqball table as well as a Subsoccer table. Another highlight of the event was an insightful presentation on the Montenegrin Sport System and sport strategy development, delivered by Mr. Vladimir Obradović, State Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth and Ms. Maja Peković – Deputy Secretary General / Head of the International Relations Department of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, the event’s host. This session provided participants with valuable knowledge about the host country’s approach to sport governance and strategic planning, offering a practical example of how different nations tackle challenges in sport administration and development.

The cultural aspects of the event were equally enriching. Participants had the opportunity to explore the historic city of Cetinje, Montenegro’s old royal capital, to taste Montenegrin’s cuisine and enjoy a lunch at Lake Skadar.

The official Graduation Ceremony was graced by the presence of distinguished guests, including Mr. Dušan Simonović, President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, and Mr. Dragoslav Šćekić, Minister of Sports and Youth of Montenegro, who awarded participants the Certificates recognising their achievement in completing the course. Their attendance underscored the programme’s significance in the region’s sport sector development.

Kirstie Simpson, EOSE President and S2ABC Course Director, offered inspiring words during the Graduation Ceremony:

“You are the future leaders of the sport sector. I am hopeful that you will be able to use the knowledge you’ve acquired in your practice, as well as leverage the connections you’ve made with participants from many different countries. Best of luck in your future endeavours – I have no doubt you will make a significant impact in your respective organisations and countries.”

The S2ABC project team extends heartfelt thanks to the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, for their exceptional hospitality and support in hosting this memorable event. Maja Peković, Deputy Secretary General of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, stated:

“We were honoured to host the Graduation Event for the S2ABC European Standard Course on Sport Administration in Podgorica. Seeing the enthusiasm and growth of these sport administrators from across Europe and the Western Balkans has been truly inspiring. We believe this programme is making a significant contribution to the development of sport in our region.”

Participants, representing a wide variety of key sport organisations from 11 countries were enthusiastic about the course’s impact on their professional lives.

The S2ABC project, funded by the Erasmus+ Sport programme “Capacity Building in the Field of Sport”, aims to enhance the skills of sport administrators and build capacity in sport organisations, with a particular focus on the Western Balkans. The project is led by the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE) in partnership with universities and National Olympic Committees from Belgium and the Western Balkans.

If you are interested in participating in future courses or partnerships to deliver custom courses in the area of sport administration, please get in touch with EOSE (contact details below).