The WCF will deliver the scholarships in partnership with the governing body’s education partner World Academy of Sport, a leader in developing specialist education programmes in the sports industry.

The WCF hope the scholarships will enable members to improve their professional careers and the curling community around them.

"We are delighted to be partnering with the World Academy of Sport to enable our members to acquire new qualifications through participating in their leading education programmes,” said WCF President Kate Caithness.

"In a very short time, our partnership with the World Academy of Sport has led to many milestones for curling and sharing in the education of athletes and those leading the management of our sport is yet another.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for our Member Associations."

The partnership will provide immediate opportunities for member associations with one full scholarship and nine 50 per cent scholarships for the postgraduate certificate, "International Sports Management".

The postgraduate certificate has been developed and delivered in conjunction with the University of London.

According to the WCF, the value of the full scholarship is £3,500 ($4,500/€3,800), while the 50 per cent scholarships are £1,750 ($2,300/€1,900) each.

The governing body and World Academy of Sport will also offer one full scholarship to a successful female applicant for the postgraduate certificate to ensure gender equity among recipients.

The fully online course can be completed over a period of up to five years, with the WCF saying it recognises that industry professionals require varying levels of learning at different stages in their careers as many have limited time available.

World Academy of Sport is also offering 100 scholarships with a value of $40 (£30/€34) each to all of WCF member associations for the World Academy of Sport Athlete Certificate.

The certificate is an online course developed for student athletes between 15 to 18 years of age who want to gain a broader understanding of the tools needed to become successful athletes.

The course has been designed and written by content writers who work regularly with various athletes and has been overseen by an expert reference group representing a number of International Federations.

"We are delighted to offer scholarships to the member associations of the WCF in these challenging times who may be looking to enhance their industry skills and competencies," said World Academy of Sport managing director Chris Solly.

"Through initiatives such as this scholarship programme, the World Academy of Sport is helping the sports industry on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 crisis through our fully online education pathway.

"This provides opportunities from high school to postgraduate education, with some of the world’s leading global educational institutions as our partners."

Applications to receive the scholarship for the postgraduate certificate in international sports management should have an existing undergraduate degree or a minimum of five to eight of relevant work experience and professional references.

Applicants must also have an International English Language Testing System level of at least 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in the written test or other equivalent proficiency certification.

For the January 2021 intake, the deadline for the scholarship application submission is November 9, while the University of London Application is mid-December.