“A transformative and enriching academic experience,” that is how one graduate of the UWI/FIFA/ CIES Postgraduate Sports Management programme described the programme’s Second International Study Tour. The students travelled to Chile in late October 2023, taking part in lecture seminars, visiting tourist attractions, and most excitingly, witnessing the Pan American Games.
“The experience was nothing short of phenomenal,” said Kristi Ali, a graduate of UWI St Augustine. “Having the opportunity to witness the Pan American games was very exhilarating. It gave me a sense of sporting culture and allowed me to bask in the world of sport to have a greater appreciation for not only the players, but the coaches, marketing team, events manager, and all those that contributed to making such an event successful.”
The study tour was made up of 70 students, coordinators, and facilitators from the FIFA/CIES International University Network of Chile, Peru, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, and Trinidad and Tobago.
In collaboration with the Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, the study tour included four lecture seminars:
The students were given tickets to some of the Pan American Games events. The also got the opportunity to visit the Arena Santiago for volleyball; National Stadium Park for the gymnastics, swimming and field hockey; and Ancha Playa Stadium for a football game between Chile and Uruguay.
Liselle Johnson-Marcelle, a 2023 UWI/FIFA/CIES student, said, “The FIFA/CIES tour opened my eyes to the opportunities that are available to advance sport in Trinidad and Tobago. Most of the lectures were based on football, but it created a thirst in me to make a positive change in youth sport development. I am excited to apply some of the concepts I saw in Chile.”
The students also experienced the "Grand Santiago Tower" (also known as the Sky Costanera skyscraper), the tallest building in South America, Casas del Bosque wine tour, and Viña del Mar and Valparaíso city tours.
Corissa Bournes, a 2021 UWI/FIFA/CIES alumna, explained that the study tour “didn’t only provide a deeper understanding of sports management and mega sporting events”, but also inspired her “to think about the socio-cultural impact of events like the Pan American Games”.
She added, “The cross-cultural interactions allowed for enriching academic discussions and the creation of a broader network that spans across several countries.”
Christian Medina, a 2011 UWI/FIFA/CIES alumnus, said “I am thankful for the opportunity to attend the Pan American Games in beautiful Chile. I met new friends, networked and enjoyed the talks, especially the ones by Ms Mariana Andrade and Sebastian Morales, a Para-Athlete. Their stories were inspiring, as was watching the athlete’s compete.”
"Ultimately, the UWI/FIFA/CIES 2023 Study Tour was a success, and we look forward to our next study tour in 2025," said Calisia Gregoire, UWI/FIFA/CIES Sports Management Programme Coordinator.
The FIFA/CIES International Study Tour provides past and current students of the UWI/FIFA/CIES Post Graduate Sports Management programme to network with other students, coordinators and facilitators within the FIFA/CIES International University Network and continue their professional development in sports management.
The UWI/FIFA/CIES Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Management programme is a blended programme offered through UWI St Augustine’s Department of Management Studies within the Faculty of Social Sciences. It is a collaboration with FIFA, the Centre International D’Etude Du Sport (CIES), and the St Augustine campus.
