Partnering to support research partnerships

Who we are

The Sport Partnership Collective (SPC) is a group that is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of research partnerships in sport.

Our group is diverse, made up of interested parties in the sport sector including academics, sport organization administrators, and non-profit decision-makers.

Our group believes that research partnerships are better when people engage in them intentionally, paying attention to factors that would enable a positive partnership experience - such as:

fostering and maintaining trust, respect, dignity
relationship-building
shared decision-making
open and transparent communication
valuing diverse knowledge and expertise
mutual benefit
knowledge exchange and resource sharing
making a difference

Our Goals

Beliefs

Promote more awareness of and value for intentionally engaging in principled partnerships.

Connection

Support enhanced connections between academics and sport sector members.

Education

Gather tools, approaches, and educational opportunities to help partners engage better.

From left to right: Dr. Karl Erickson, York University; Dr. Heather Gainforth, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan; Kim Gurtler, Sport Information Resource Centre; Dr. Majidullah Shaikh, Knowledge in Motion Consulting; and Dr. Veronica Allan, Sport Information Resource Centre.

Our Team

Our team was founded on a shared vision to build capacity for research partnerships in the sport sector - and support these partnerships to meaningfully engage. To us, meaningful engagement means involving one another in ways that highlight respect, valuing diverse expertise, trust, transparency, openness, mutual benefit, and more).

Our current leadership is comprised of researchers and knowledge users in the sport sector. As we grow, we are continuing to expand both our leadership and collaborating partners with interested members of the sport sector.