Representatives from numerous institutions throughout the United States and Africa participated in an international sport management conference, co-hosted by the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (CPASS) and its International Center for Performance Excellence (ICPE), November 11-12, 2012, at the Erickson Alumni Center at West Virginia University (WVU).The International Sport Management Consortium of the African Sport Management Association (ASMA) brought together key constituents from universities and state and federal offices in the US such as WVU, Arcadia University, Bluefield State College, Hampton University, and St. John’s University. They were joined either in person or via video teleconferencing by representatives from African institutions such as Kenyatta University, Kyambogo University, the University of Dar es Salaam, and the University of Nairobi.“This esteemed collection of educators and policy makers will develop strategies to create joint support for research proposals and business projects,” said Floyd Jones, the conference organizer and an associate professor of sport management at WVU. “We hope to move forward by building economic and business models into the consortium framework.”

The theme of the conference was “Building International Relationships, Best Practices, and Strategies for Sustainability through Sport Management.” Through technology, the conference allowed representatives from the US and Africa to conduct roundtable discussions and presentations focused on topics such as joint research and funding opportunities, faculty and student exchanges, study abroad programs, expanding course offerings at African universities, and creating an official ASMA scholarly journal, a session that was led by ICPE director Matt Brann.

Soita Paschal, a professor in the Department of Sport Sciences at Kyambogo University who spent the 2012-13 academic year as a visiting scholar with CPASS, was instrumental in working with Jones to organize the conference. Both are members of the executive council of ASMA.

“With the conference, the possibility of establishing faculty and student exchanges, an African sport management journal, and international partnerships becomes more likely,” Paschal said. “By bringing together presenters from around the world we are a step closer to realizing our dream.”