The programme for the 2016 to 2017 academic year will aim to provide ambitious young people with the opportunity to further their careers in sport administration.

Scholarships are open to those taking part in the Russian International Olympic University’s (RIOU) Master of Sport Administration (MSA) course in Sochi.

“We are grateful to the Vladimir Potanin Foundation for expanding its grants programme this year,” said Lev Belousov, rector of the RIOU.

“Our University focuses on providing superior quality education in sports management.

“We are fortunate to have a fantastic faculty here in Sochi, which draws upon the research and talent of the many leading international universities who work with us.”

The Vladimir Potanin Foundation programme was launched in the build up to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and is claimed to help provide a modern approach to sports education.

Grants are set to be offered for the first time to visiting professors, with the hope that it will ensure that the best teaching talent will be available to the students.

“The Foundation traditionally supports talented students to ensure they receive high-quality teaching and are provided with opportunities to excel in an educational environment which meets their needs,” said Oksana Oracheva, director general of the Vladimir Potanin Foundation.

“This year our Olympic scholarships programme made another logical step: to introduce grants for visiting professors.

“We hope this will allow us to continue to attract world-class, specialised and highly professional sports management experts.”

Currently 20 students from 14 countries are benefiting from the scholarship, while 18 were on the programme from 2014 to 2015.