Call for PhD Seminar applicants for the 5th WASM Conference,
Cape Town, South Africa, 3 – 6 March 2026
The WASM 2026 PhD Student Seminar is a one-day international seminar, taking place on 3 March 2026, prior to the WASM 2026 Cape Town Conference. The seminar aims to gather doctoral students in the field of sport management from all over the world for mutual discussions, academic and career development and engagement with other academics and scholars.
The PhD Seminar will consist of two key components:
- Research Methodology and Skills Development: Participants will partake in interactive workshops focused on key aspects of research methodology, academic writing, and essential research skills. The session aims to strengthen methodological rigour, improve scholarly communication, and support the successful completion of doctoral research.
- Scholarly Career Development: Participants will partake in an interactive workshop led by experienced academics in sport management, focused on considering and preparing for academic careers or utilising academic skills as a sport management professional.
Application and Registration
The application period will start on 1st June 2026 and will close on 31 July 2026 (23:59 CET).
Your application must include a brief overview (max. 400 words, excluding references) of your PhD project, including the problem statement, research field, as well as theoretical and methodological considerations. Furthermore, applications must indicate the name(s) of supervisor(s), institutional affiliation. The PhD project must have a sport management perspective.
Please submit your application for consideration to: Dr. Jaron Ras (CPUT email: RasJ@cput.ac.za)
The WASM 2026 Organising Committee have agreed to accept only 20 PhD students in total.
Registration deadline
All successful candidates will receive their letter of acceptance and will be requested to register for the seminar and the WASM Conference via the official event website. The deadline for registration is 15 December 2026. If registration is not completed by this date, the spot will be made available for students on the waiting list.
Costs
The fee for participation in the WASM PhD Student Seminar 2026 is R3,700. Participation in the WASM PhD Student Seminar 2026 includes access to the entire WASM 2026 Conference in Cape Town (full package). Costs exclude all travel and accommodation expenses. Affordable accommodation within walking distance of the conference and seminar venue is available on the WASM 2026 conference website in the Accommodation tab.
Optional abstract submission
If you also wish to present your research at the main conference, please submit an abstract through the normal submission process on the conference website. Full papers or posters may be presented.