Feedback of FIDE Endorsed Academies

At the end of 2018, there were 64 FIDE Endorsed Academies listed on the TRG website while FIDE Office/Accounts had 73 FIDE Endorsed Academies on record.

Subsequent investigations by the new TRG Council to establish the facts was then followed by a nine month long rationalisation exercise for the collection of long term arrears which then reduced the number to just 30 FIDE Endorsed Academies.

Of the new FIDE Endorsed Academies approved in 2019, just four (4) remain, and the total number is 34 as at 31 January 2020.

For the first time, annual reports have been asked from the 30 FIDE Endosed Academies and so far 12 have responded, four (4) have requested an extension, and two (2) of the four (4) new FIDE Endosed Academies have decided to also submit a report, and so we have a total of 14 reports and evtually 18 reports from the 34 FIDE Endorsed Academies.

We have found the feedback – except in one “special” case – to be consistent and they are as follows:

1. Most do not see benefits of being a FIDE Endorsed Academy beyond association with FIDE, and the few that do is say that it is because of the right to send players to the FIDE World and Continental Youth and Schools Championships.
2. The FIDE Endorsed Academies that reported are largely focused on scholastics chess with some also seeing themselves as a chess club, are organising or looking to organise events, and some taking on and/or desiring some national developmental role. Only one looks at primarily conducting high level coaching but this is mainly in the context of it’s own college team promotion.

Based on this feedback from the FIDE Endorsed Academies where there is generally a desire by most to have more tangible benefits and even by some to be able to take on a bigger role working with FIDE but not necessarily with their respective national chess federarions, TRG plans a comprehensive review of the current FIDE Endosed Academies model.

This will be submitted to the next FIDE Presidential Board for approval and adoption, if not immediately or after the Khanty-Mansisyk FIDE Congress, then in 2021.