Aspira University College gained another valuable partner – Croatian Association for Sports Management (HASM). HASM is an organization established by sports professionals and specialists of sports management with the goal of education and promotion of sports management. The cooperation between these two institutions is a natural course of events, since Aspira is one of the first higher-education institutions offering study programs in Sports Management. The contract was signed by the Dean of Aspira University College, Alen Jerkunica, and the president of HASM, Ivan Vrankovic.
The representatives of both institutions have agreed to encourage excellence in sports management, share their experiences and knowledge and strengthen their cooperation in order to contribute to the development of Croatian sports management and sports in general.
Dean Jerkunica emphasized the importance of sports associations, such as HASM, for promoting the values of sports management in Croatian sport. He referenced the current Sports law: “According to the 2006 Law, the role of sports manager is completely marginalized. He/She is not the one who organizes or manages sports or sports organizations, but merely an agent who deals with transfers of athletes from club to club. In order for Croatian sports organizations to function more effectively, they should be managed by educated sports managers, just as athletes are trained by educated trainers.”
New cooperation allows students of Sports management to participate in common academic research projects and to do their internship in sports institutions, federations, clubs, companies and HASM. Moreover, the first steps have been taken in terms of organizing professional conferences, academic seminars, panels and various sporting events, alongside publishing professional and academic papers from the field of sports management, common participation in local and EU projects and collaboration with partners from Croatia and abroad.
We are proud of yet another partnership that will help Aspira Sports Management students and faculty to expand their opportunities in gaining further knowledge!