Creating thriving and sustainable futures in physical education, health and sport

The idea for this Special Issue, ‘Creating thriving and sustainable futures in physical education, health and sport’ arose from the Association Internationale des Écoles Supérieures d’Éducation Physique (AIESEP) World Congress in Edinburgh, 25-28 July, 2018. The quadrennial World Congress welcomed an international audience of over 400 delegates from 40 plus countries to critically consider some of the demanding issues and resurgent possibilities for productive engagement in physical education, physical activity, health and sport. Early career researchers and established scholars alike presented and discussed their research on ways in which physical education can thrive in schools and also articulate with wider societal objectives for increasing physical activity, enhancing health and encouraging sporting participation and achievement. In doing so, the World Congress sought to explore how physical education could make the most of policy and practice opportunities through exploring and critiquing contrasting conceptual visions and by reviewing the pedagogical possibilities for improving student outcomes. In exploring the overarching conference theme, the World Congress had four sub themes: physical education, policy engagement and economic liberalism; empowering practitioners and supporting professional learning; transformative learning and teaching in physical education and sports pedagogy and innovative perspectives on physical education, physical activity, health and wellbeing and sport. There are two papers from each sub theme in the special issue: one paper from each keynote lecture and the other from paper presentations which were particularly well-received for their relevance and incisiveness by congress delegates and members of the Scientific Committee. Collectively, the papers investigate a range of questions and utilise a range of methodological approaches for exploring the critical issues raised. Our editorial aspiration is that these papers can stimulate further professional discussions and inform future research agendas.