The Asian Olympic Academy (AOA) is an exciting new education initiative that is being launched by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). It will offer a series of courses and qualifications which will train the sporting officials of the future, in areas such as governance and sports law. Athletes preparing for life after the end of their competitive careers will be among those able to benefit from the AOA. The initiative will be overseen by the OCA and run by South Korea's International Sport Strate
A Memorandum of Understanding to launch the Asian Olympic Academy was signed in October 2021 ©OCA Courses and teaching The AOA will initially offer two courses which will both be a year in length. The first semester is due to begin in March 2023, with the first admission confirmed in September 2022. These will be a masters in sports law, integrity and policy and a masters in sports governance. Both courses will include 25 weeks of classes, a 10 week thesis and internships of 10 to 20 weeks for practice in the sports industry. The law course will cover topics including sports arbitration, sports integrity, doping, dispute resolutions and sport policy. Topics included as part of the sports management course will be match-fixing, anti-doping and sports ethics. Classes and lectures will be offered with "high-class" international professors, teachers and industry leaders. Teaching will include field trips and cultural experiences in South Korea, including to the Seoul Olympic Park, the Olympic and Paralympic Museum and the Incheon Asiad Hall. Kookmin University will provide fast track visas for AOA students, with facilities including a dedicated lecture hall and dormitory. Plans for the future In December 2021, a new headquarters for the AOA will be finished at Kookim University. A new AOA building is scheduled for 2025, and a sports complex building, including an international graduate school, is expected by 2028.