Memorandum of Understanding between FISU and ISF

Gwanju July 8, 2015: Alongside the hosting of the 28th Summer Universiade in Gwangju, Korea, FISU has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International School Sport Federation (ISF).

FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien and the ISF President Laurent Petrynka signed a MOU between both federations. This signature features in wide array of partnerships already signed by FISU to ensure a good cooperation with international governing bodies of the sports on the FISU sports programme.

With the ISF it’s a little bit different because since 1972 the ISF oversees the organisation of sports competitions for young secondary school pupils aged 14 to 18 years (cf. FISU’s target group of university students aged 17 to 28 years).

With 75 member countries, the ISF has 20 sports in its programme and has organised 230 World Championships in 36 countries since its creation. Its flagship event, the ‘Gymnasiade’, hosted every four years, brings together some 3,000 participants from 40 countries.

“To increase our spectrum passing suddenly from 14 to 28 years will allow us to create innovative events and not just in the sports field”, ISF President Laurent Petrynka stated. “It will also allow us to pool our organisations creating more synergy. It is very important to show other federations – which are sometimes in competition with each other – that there is way to build projects in perfect harmony.

Moreover, in France the FFSU-UNSS alliance (French University Sports Federation – National Union School Sport) that will bid for the organisation of the World University Cross Country Championship in 2018 is already a fact. I hope that, if accepted by FISU, this joint bid will be an example for other countries.” —- FISU