The International University Sports Federation (FISU) just launched an online platform for potential host cities to the Summer and Winter Universiades and the World University Championships series
The Universiade is much more than a traditional sporting competition as it provides leaders a platform to tell the story of their city and be part of the event’s legacyEmbracing the motto of “Excellence in Mind and Body,” FISU events bring together sport and academia. FISU’s flagship event, the Universiade, is much more than a traditional sporting competition, particularly in how it combines educational and cultural aspects into the event.
A new “hosting” section on the FISU website along with a quarterly newsletter that is sent to more than 300 sport cities worldwide allows city representatives to access the latest information about hosting FISU events. This includes event descriptions, application timelines and procedures, as well as best practices from past and future host cities of FISU events.
Hosting a FISU event positions a city as a new destination for young people to study, visit and work, generating revenues and boosting the area’s international sporting profile. By creating the hosting platform, FISU aims to reach out to cities directly and provide them with relevant information about their events. FISU member federations and continental associations will also benefit from this new tool in their own markets.With FISU’s renewed approach of multi-city events, including for the Universiades, cities of all sizes the have the opportunity to bring together sport and academia and host a FISU event.
The parade of flags leads the entrance of the athletes for the closing night of Taipei Summer Universiade 2017 “The collaboration between FISU and the cities hosting our events is crucial for the steady development of university sports at the international level. Our new platform enables us to reach more cities from all over the world, engage with them and get them involved in university sport and FISU events,” FISU President Oleg Matytsin said.
From the city of Taipei, the most recent host of the Summer Universiade, the organising committee’s CEO Li-chiung Su commented: “The new hosting website and newsletter is a great initiative, not only to inform more cities about all the great things hosting the Universiade can do for a city, but also to share best practices and new ideas.”
Belgian decathlete Thomas Van der Plaetsen and Brazilian futsal player Valeria Schmidt were the FISU Male and Female Athlete of the Year in 2017Two-time Universiade decathlon champ Thomas Van der Plaetsen said that competing in the cities of Kazan, Russia in 2013 and Gwangju, South Korea in 2015 left an indelible mark on his blossoming career. “I am very grateful that I have the Universiade as my platform to tell my story and be part of its legacy,” the Belgian athletics athlete said. “Not only winning the Universiade twice, but also by bringing the Universiade to my country to show them what a beautiful event it is. I am so very grateful to be part of not just my own sport but to be part of a movement, to be part of the FISU Universiade. Thank you so much.”
The new FISU site can be accessed at http://www.fisu.net/hosting
