International Academy of Sport Science and Technology

As the sports industry grows increasingly larger and more complex, it requires the skills and acumen of a growing number of experts trained in all aspects of sports management, including human, life and engineering sciences.The not-for-profit AISTS was established by the International Olympic Committee and other respected organisations and academic institutions to respond directly to this need.

By focusing its activities on the three pillars of education, applied research and connections, AISTS routinely produces highly-trained graduates, many of whom have gone on to play leading roles in the world of sport, and offers leading expertise and technical services to a wide range of key players inside and outside the Olympic Movement.

As an academy, AISTS’ mission is to provide high quality education and prepare specialists to satisfy the needs and expectations of the sports industry. To do so, AISTS blends scientific knowledge with real world understanding giving participants in AISTS advanced educational programmes the tools for Mastering Sport.

The AISTS's mission is to bring a positive contribution to the management of sport through post-graduate and executive education, as well as applied research, by developing, integrating and delivering knowledge from human sciences, life sciences and engineering sciences.The AISTS applies a multidisciplinary approach to postgraduate education, continuing professional education, and applied research in sport.

AISTS, as a foundation is governed by two committees to which it reports to and by which it is controlled. The committees ensure AISTS’ activity is in line with its mission and representative of the founding members’ visions. The committees are the AISTS Foundation Council and the AISTS Executive Committee. In addition, AISTS relies on the Scientific Committees for its education programmes and on an Advisory Group of Experts for its strategic projects development.

he AISTS is in a unique position to bring together scientists and researchers from esteemed universities, with athletes, International Sports Federations (IFs), and sports companies. The AISTS facilitates the development of knowledge and its application to sport, through various projects.The AISTS has the unique ability to bridge the gap between technology and sport by drawing on the expertise of a world-class institute of technology, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). The EPFL is one of the AISTS founding members and hosts the AISTS headquarters.

We continue to work closely with Professor Jan-Anders Mansson, former AISTS president and now AISTS Scientific Advisor in Sport Technology. He is a world renowned scientist in the field of material composite, with over 600 scientific publications and is also the technical advisor for equipment rules and certifications of several international sport federations, namely the International Cycling Union UCI), the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and the International Swimming Federation (FINA). Professor Mansson plays an integral role in the AISTS's Applied Research projects.Depending on the requirements of the project , the AISTS is either able to carry out the plan with the AISTS executive team, or act as project leader by integrating the expertise of specialised members from its founding universities or from its network of partners.

The AISTS MAS in Sport Administration particpants, each year, work closly with clients on real-life projects over six months. To date AISTS have completed 130 projects with various organisations including the IAAF, FEI, IOC, ISMF, CAA Eleven, Baku 2015 Games Academy and many more.The authorities of Canton of Vaud and City of Lausanne constantly seek to further establish Lausanne as the Olympic Capital, and the Canton as the centre of excellence for sport.

Three sports cluster platforms are supported by the City of Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud: education and research, industry, and international sports organisations and events.In 2007 the AISTS conducted an Economic Impact Study to assess the contribution of the IOC and International Sports Federations on the Canton of Vaud. The study concluded a positive impact on the local economy in increased output and earnings of on average CHF 200 million per year.

In 2008 the AISTS conducted an inventory of the sport cluster in the Canton of Vaud. It included more than 50 international sports federations as well as companies in the service and industry sectors, and sports organisations such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

As a centre of education in sport administration, the AISTS continues to work together with the Canton of Vaud, the City of Lausanne and the IOC as AISTS founding members to develop the region as a pool of competence in sport.In addition, ThinkSport was officially launched in 2016 to enhance the variety of sports-related expertise in the City of Lausanne, the Canton of Vaud and in Switzerland. It is the first network of its kind, aiming to facilitate new partnerships across different sectors, knowledge sharing, creative thinking and innovative projects, and in doing so, drive progress in sport. Whilst this progress is initiated in Switzerland due to the many influential sports organisations in the country, the network also extends to players across the globe and has an impact at international level.

The Foundation Council is the supreme organ in the AISTS governance. Its role is to take decisions related to the promotion and implementation of AISTS’ missions and to oversee its financial and administrative management.Among its competencies, the Foundation Council can set up internal rules which define and manage the foundations’ activities and management, decide over the attribution of the directorship or represent the foundation to third parties.

The AISTS Foundation Council is made of 17 members. These are mandated by each of the founding members to represent them. The Foundation Council elects a President and meets at least once a year.

The AISTS has close partnerships with many sports organisations and sports related companies and institutions in the fields of applied research, education, training, knowledge transfer and consulting.