KU School of Education & Human Sciences dean delivers address at UN World Cup Diplomacy Summit
LAWRENCE — Joshua Newman, dean of the University of Kansas School of Education & Human Sciences, recently gave an address and led a plenary panel on sport, policy and artificial intelligence at the World Cup Diplomacy Summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The panel was part of a major international meeting focused on how the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be leveraged toward diplomatic ends, strengthening international cooperation, development and global exchange through the world’s most watched sporting event. Newman, a widely published sport management scholar whose research spans the political economy of sport, global football and the role of artificial intelligence in sport and human development, reflected on the role of sport management and sport studies researchers in informing broader global conversations about the impact of mega events such as the World Cup.
“This summer, the World Cup is doing what only sport can do: bringing the entire world into a shared conversation,” Newman said. “Our task is to make that conversation count. That means staging the tournament in ways that do right by everyone it touches, from the athletes on the pitch to the fans who fill the stands to the communities that open their doors as hosts. The measure of a great World Cup is not only what happens on the field but what it leaves behind: stronger institutions, deeper ties among nations and host cities better off than we found them.”
The two-day summit, held June 4-5 and hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), brought together diplomats, sport officials and researchers from around the world.
While in New York, Newman also met with UNITAR executives to explore future partnerships between the United Nations and the KU School of Education & Human Sciences. The discussions centered on new programs in Europe and in Lawrence, including opportunities that would take KU students abroad and bring global leaders to campus, to enrich student learning and expand professional development opportunities across the school.