Women’s Leadership and Change in Sport with Michelize van Heerden

In the tenth episode of Series 2 of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Michelize van Heerden, a doctoral researcher from the University of Chichester. Michelize’s research explores the Women’s Sports Leadership Academy (WSLA) - a pioneering residential programme that has supported over 450 women from 78 countries in developing as leaders in sport.Against a backdrop of ongoing gender imbalance - with only 26% of CEO roles in sport held by women, and a global 3% decrease in female representation on funded sports boards - Michelize examines how WSLA creates a safe, empowering space for growth and connection. Her research draws on the personal stories of participants to disrupt traditional evaluation models, placing lived experience at the centre. Through this work, she aims to understand WSLA's long-term impact on women’s leadership development and the broader transformation of sporting culture.You can read a transcript of the conversation here.Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.ukThis is a Research Podcasts production.Credits:Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research PodcastsGuest: Michelize van Heerden, University of ChichesterProducer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research PodcastsEditor: Anton Jarvis, Research PodcastsTranscripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.