Graduates of Master in Sports Administration & Technology Face a Promising Future with Highly Valued Degree

Saturday 7 December saw the 11th AISTS MSA Graduation Ceremony take place in Lausanne. Over 200 attendees, viagra including distinguished speakers, sport industry professionals, family, friends and faculty converged at the EPFL’s Rolex Learning Center to celebrate in this annual event.

AISTS Executive Director, Dr. Claude Stricker presided over the ceremony with President, Professor Jan-Anders Månson making the first address in a powerful statement about the need for professionals in sports management.

“The value of your degree has never been higher than now.”

International Olympic Committee’s Sports Director, Christophe Dubi, echoed Professor Månson in his address to the class of 2013.

“[AISTS] delivers not only a great program but also individuals. Over 10% of the IOC are MSA graduates.

Many opportunities will arise in the IOC over the next few years…since we have these new transformation and new ideas, we’ll need to have exceptional people.”

In total, 38 future sports managers from 25 countries received their diploma, co-signed by AISTS’s four founding Universities: EPFL, University of Lausanne, University of Geneva and IDHEAP.

“We are so happy to have such a diversity of students coming from all over the world,” said Head of Education, Youth and Culture of Canton of Vaud, Ms. Anne-Catherine Lyon. “We need ambassadors from all over the world.”

In what was a moving and heartfelt message of overcoming adversity and the power of self-belief, Olympic and Paralympic swimmer, Natalie du Toit, gave the keynote address for the evening.

“Today you graduate. It’s a new step, it’s new opportunities…grab the opportunity and fly with it,” encouraged Natalie. “Aim high, Dream big dreams. Today is a celebration.”

In a class that had a near-perfect balance of gender, it’s an encouraging glimpse into the diversity of the current and future leaders of the sports industry.

CEO of Triathlon Australia, Ms. Anne Gripper, returned to her alma mater to speak about the ‘Future Female Sport Leader Scholarship’ – a legacy of Ms. June Canavan, a fellow Alumna, and one of the first sports medicine specialists.

June’s Foundation set up the scholarship as a way to provide an opportunity for a female from a developing country passionate about the involvement of women in sport the chance to study the AISTS MSA, including one of this year’s graduates Olivia Aya Nakitanda from Uganda.

“Over the past 12 months, we’ve equipped these “incongruous group of high achievers” with the knowledge, skills and experience to become excellent sports administrators and managers,” said AISTS Executive Director, Claude Stricker.

“They join over 300 existing AISTS MSA alumni working all over the world who are making a meaningful impact on the world of sport. We wish each new graduate the very best success in this new chapter of their lives.”