Women’s Sport Leadership Academy training is taking place in Zimbabwe this week ©Getty Images

The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) is hosting the country's first Women’s Sport Leadership Academy (WSLA) training course.

The four-day course starts today in the capital Harare, reports PaZimbabwe.

WSLA aims to develop future leaders in sport and has a particular focus on self-critical learning.

The programmes are run by the Anita White Foundation out of the University of Chichester in Britain. 

Females Achieving Brilliance and the University of Hertfordshire also support WSLA.

Per PaZimbabwe, the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sport has partnered with the ZOC to deliver the training in Harare.

Twenty-five women from Zimbabwe, neighboring Zambia and Iran will be in attendance.

"WSLA’s mission is to provide unique development opportunities for women leaders around the world with the aim of increasing the confidence and competence of women working in sport, in a range of leadership behaviour," read a ZOC statement.

"WSLA also comprises facilitator training and support, graduate support, networking and mentoring, and research.

"WSLA programmes are delivered by experienced and trained facilitators with appropriate skills, knowledge and experience in leadership in sport, business, as well as in the high-performance sporting and coaching environment."

Founded in 2014, the WSLA initiative has since "helped 283 female trailblazers from 52 countries develop their leadership competencies in sport" according to the University of Chichester.