Structure of ISU Development Program

Lausanne, Oct 21, 2016: Following the decision of the 56th Ordinary ISU Congress to create a new Development Commission, the ISU Council has made it a priority to appoint three ISU Development Commission members and to review the policy and operating structure of the ISU Development Program.

In July 2016, the ISU Council initiated a survey among all ISU Members, to which 52 ISU Members provided valuable feedback about their situation and most significant needs for development support.

Today, based on the information gathered, the ISU publishes ISU Communication No. 2052. ISU Communication No. 2052 summarizes the principles of the newly restructured ISU Development Program which include: strategic planning, clear objectives, transparency not only of the Development Program but also of each individual project, creating ISU Center of Excellence, greater involvement of the ISU Members, favor sustainable projects with continued results, innovation and more. The full details of the ISU Development Program are available in ISU Communication No. 2052.

ISU President Jan Dijkema commented: “Since the Congress, the ISU Council has been working hard to restructure its Development Program. It was clearly outdated and did not fit within our objective to achieve good governance. I believe that development, along with marketing, promotion, digitalization and good governance, are key areas that need reforming. Therefore I am pleased we can now move to the implementation phase of the ISU Development Program and continue to move forward.”

ISU Development Program
The ISU Development Program was established in 1996 as an essential tool for the promotion and development of the ISU sports. It is the ISU’s global initiative to improve the skating activities of ISU Members in a sustainable way with a total annual development budget of CHF 8 million, which has increased from CHF 6.7 million. The ISU provides frameworks, funding and facilitation to ensure that Figure Skating and Speed Skating are meaningful for current and future generations worldwide.

The Program has the following specific objectives:

– To increase the numbers and improve the quality of Skaters, Coaches, and Officials engaged in competitive international Figure Skating and Speed Skating.

– To increase the number of ISU Members able to develop Skaters who are competitive at the international level, both at the highest level and at the level of qualifying for ISU Events and ISU disciplines at the Olympic Winter Games. —- ISU