Today the World Academy of Sport (WAoS) announced its new division of Event Learning with the appointment of its divisional Director, Mr Apostolos Rigas.

WAoS Event Learning brings together the current activities that the WAoS undertakes in the area of major event management, working with event owners and local organisers to further activate knowledge management initiatives. This follows the announcement last week of the launch of the IPC Academy Campus in Rio 2016 and the IPC knowledge Management activities to fall within the activities of the IPC Academy.
 
Having pioneered the area of knowledge management related to sport events in 1999 as the architect and founding board member of Olympic Games Knowledge Services (OGKS), a joint venture with the International Olympic Committee, WAoS Director, Mr Chris Solly subsequently went on to establish the WAoS. Throughout the past decade the WAoS has partnered with several International Sport Federations (IFs) to establish their own dedicated IF Academies creating tailored programmes specific to the needs of the IF, members and stakeholders based on rigorous learning methodologies and robust quality assurance processes. 
 
One outstanding success of such programmes has been the IPC Academy Excellence Programme and IPC Academy Campus programmes. These programmes have been specifically developed as a coherent learning journey for each OCOG through an intimate understanding of the event lifecycle, dedicated design & development of each learning input and a focussed team committed to creating a skilled event workforce able to apply specialist information to their various functions.

Solly stated “it’s with great excitement that we are once again driving change in the major sport event sector with the establishment of this innovative Event Learning division within our team. When we established OGKS we were very excited about the profound impact knowledge management had on not only OCOGs but also the broader industry. To have tested our event learning methodologies in the Games environment over the past five years it is once again exciting to be at the forefront of expanding our event learning experience for the benefit of event owners and local organisers.”
 
Rigas added “ever since I began working in partnership with the Academy I myself have gone on a learning journey over the past five years. When establishing knowledge management for the IPC back in 2005 we were focussed on manuals, information and content. By working with the Academy we have been able to bring all of these assets to life for the OCOGs through tailored learning pathways and programs making a tangible difference to how we interact and work with them. Its opened up a whole new way of working with organisers and to be joining the WAoS as Director Event Learning is extremely exciting to be able to take these systems and methodologies to the many event owners who will benefit from this way of operating.”
 
Rigas joins the WAoS as Director Event Learning having been Head of Knowledge Management since 2005. With the IPC Academy undertaking all knowledge management activities for the IPC, Rigas will oversee these projects and continue leading the Knowledge Management function.

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About World Academy of Sport
 
The World Academy of Sport is the world’s leading educational partner to International Sporting Federations and their member constituents worldwide. The Academy offers a wide range of educational programmes with a global reach for sport and event participants from athletes and event organizers to administrators and managers.
It has established specific education partner academies with International Sport Federations representing over 1,200 national federations, providing tailored education for their members, including:

• International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
• International Ski Federation (FIS)
• World Rugby
• International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
• International Netball Federation (INF)
• International Cricket Council (ICC)
• International Hockey Federation (FIH)
• Badminton World Federation (BWF)
• United World Wrestling