University Nordic Walking Group License

Purpose of the License

The University Nordic Walking Group License is an NWANA group license intended for the creation and gradual development of a Nordic Walking Group connected with a specific university.

The license applies to the group as a separate group within the NWANA system. It is not an individual participant license, official university recognition, educational accreditation, a professional teaching or coaching credential, authorization to conduct research, or an athlete competition license.

Available Group Formats

A University Nordic Walking Group may operate as:

• a Registered Student Organization or officially recognized student club;

• a program operated or sponsored by the university;

• a Campus Recreation, Student Affairs, Health and Wellness, or Athletics program;

• an initiative organized by a faculty, department, academic unit, faculty members, researchers, or university employees with institutional approval;

• a program conducted by an authorized community or professional partner;

• another format officially approved by the university.

In every format, a group connected with a specific university may be created only by the university or with its permission.

The University Nordic Walking Group License does not, by itself, establish the group as a Registered Student Organization or grant any other official university status. Those designations must be obtained through the university’s own approval process.

Authorization from the University

An undergraduate, graduate, or professional student, faculty member, researcher, university employee, campus professional, authorized partner, or another eligible person may propose the creation of a Nordic Walking Group at a particular university.

However, obtaining an Individual University License does not, by itself, authorize that person to:

• represent the university;

• use its name, logo, facilities, student or employee lists, internal communication channels, or other resources;

• establish a group as an official university program or Registered Student Organization;

• conduct research or recruit research participants;

• make commitments or collect funds on behalf of the university.

NWANA may request confirmation that the university has authorized the creation of the group and the use of its identity.

A group that has not been authorized or recognized by the university may not use the university’s name or present itself as an official university program. A separate local initiative may instead be created under the appropriate Community Nordic Walking Group License without representing the university.

How a Licensed Group Is Created

The formation of a new University Nordic Walking Group may begin when at least one eligible Individual University License holder proposes the group and the selected university authorizes or officially recognizes its creation.

After the university’s authorization is confirmed, NWANA creates the University Nordic Walking Group, provides it with a group license, and creates a dedicated page within the NWANA system.

The first registered participant becomes the first licensed participant associated with the new group. This person does not automatically become the group’s owner, leader, instructor, coach, advisor, researcher, or official university representative and is not required to organize its activities.

The university determines who is authorized to represent it and who may perform leadership, advisory, instructional, supervisory, research, or administrative functions within the group.

Who the Group May Serve

The university determines the intended audience for its University Nordic Walking Group.

Depending on the approved format, the group may serve:

• undergraduate students;

• graduate and professional students;

• faculty members and researchers;

• university employees;

• alumni;

• participants in Campus Recreation, Student Affairs, Health and Wellness, Athletics, or other approved programs;

• authorized volunteers and partners;

• other participants approved by the university.

The group license does not independently provide access to students, employees, university facilities, academic programs, records, communication systems, research resources, or other institutional resources.

What the Group License Provides

The University Nordic Walking Group License allows the authorized group to:

• operate within the NWANA system as a Nordic Walking Group connected with the participating university;

• have a dedicated page for approved information, registration, news, programs, and events;

• welcome eligible Individual University License holders;

• introduce Nordic Walking opportunities within the university community;

• organize approved walks, clubs, recreational activities, and wellness programs;

• invite appropriately qualified instructors, coaches, and other professionals;

• participate in NWANA programs and events;

• organize its own approved in-person and virtual events and competitions;

• establish authorized educational, volunteer, partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising initiatives;

• develop gradually toward RECOGNIZED status.

Obtaining the group license does not require the university or group to begin any activities immediately.

Cost of the Group License

The initial University Nordic Walking Group License is provided free of charge.

Creating the group and its dedicated page is also free. During the initial stage, the group does not pay an annual NWANA fee.

The $200 annual group license fee applies only after the group voluntarily receives RECOGNIZED status.

No Initial NWANA Requirements

Obtaining and maintaining the initial group license does not require NWANA to impose:

• a minimum number of participants;

• the immediate appointment of a group leader or faculty advisor;

• an instructor, coach, researcher, or judge;

• regular walks, practices, or training sessions;

• organized events, competitions, or research activities;

• the collection of membership fees;

• an immediate application for RECOGNIZED status.

The group may begin with one interested and eligible participant and develop at a pace approved by the participating university.

The university may establish its own requirements for Registered Student Organizations, campus programs, faculty advisors, group leadership, membership, activities, or continued institutional recognition.

University Responsibility

The participating university determines and oversees:

• the approved organizational format;

• requirements for Registered Student Organizations and student clubs;

• permitted participants and membership rules;

• group leadership and faculty or staff advisors;

• access to university facilities and resources;

• requirements for instructors, coaches, volunteers, researchers, and external partners;

• event, travel, safety, insurance, and transportation procedures;

• financial accounts, fundraising, sponsorships, and collection of fees;

• communication, branding, and use of the university’s identity;

• research, privacy, data collection, and participant-protection requirements;

• other institutional policies applicable to the group.

The University Nordic Walking Group License does not replace the university’s approval process, campus policies, student organization requirements, research procedures, or other institutional requirements.

Educational and Research Collaboration

A University Nordic Walking Group may participate in educational or research-related collaborations if those activities are separately reviewed and authorized by the university.

The group license does not, by itself, authorize:

• research involving human participants;

• recruitment of students, employees, patients, or community members for research;

• collection or use of personal, health, performance, or biometric data;

• access to university laboratories, research systems, funding, or institutional data;

• publication of research under the university’s name.

The responsible university units and qualified researchers must develop, approve, and supervise any research project.

NWANA may provide Nordic Walking education, technical standards, competition experience, and professional expertise when invited to participate in an authorized educational or research collaboration.

Possible Areas of Development

Depending on the interests of the participants and the authorization provided by the university, the group may gradually develop:

• introductory Nordic Walking activities;

• student clubs and campus organizations;

• recreational walks and social meetups;

• wellness and physical activity programs;

• instruction provided by appropriately qualified professionals;

• recreational or competitive training programs;

• campus events and community-engagement activities;

• educational events and workshops;

• authorized educational or research collaborations;

• participation in NWANA competitions and other events;

• its own approved in-person and virtual competitions;

• volunteer, partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising initiatives.

None of these activities is required by NWANA for the group to maintain its initial license.

Qualified Activities

The group license does not, by itself, authorize any participant to teach Nordic Walking technique, provide professional instruction, coach participants or athletes, conduct research, supervise programs requiring professional qualifications, or serve as a judge.

A person must have the appropriate training, license, qualification, university approval, and any other required authorization to perform these activities.

The group may exist and develop before it has an instructor, coach, advisor, researcher, or judge. Professional qualifications are not required for ordinary participation or authorized organizational and volunteer assistance.

All activities conducted under the university’s name must comply with the university’s authorization and institutional policies.

Group Events and Competitions

A University Nordic Walking Group may organize its own in-person and virtual events and competitions as it develops and with the authorization of the participating university.

The university determines the permitted participants, location, supervision, format, use of university resources, and other conditions for each activity.

Such an event may be presented as a competition of the group or participating university only to the extent authorized by the university.

If the group wishes to obtain separate designation for a competition as an official NWANA competition, that designation must be arranged separately in accordance with NWANA rules.

Financial Structure

During the initial stage, payments associated with approved group programs and events and collected through the NWANA-created page are processed through NWANA.

After NWANA operating expenses, these funds may be used to support the group’s page, events, programs, and continued development.

Any fundraising, sponsorship, collection of fees, or other financial activity conducted under the university’s name must be authorized by the university.

If the group later receives RECOGNIZED status, it may be provided with expanded administrative capabilities and its own payment structure within the NWANA system, subject to the applicable arrangements with the participating university.

RECOGNIZED Status

RECOGNIZED status applies to the group and its NWANA group license, not to an individual participant.

Obtaining this status is optional. The group may remain at the initial stage for as long as necessary.

Official recognition by the university and RECOGNIZED status from NWANA are separate designations. Neither designation replaces the requirements for obtaining the other.

The requirements and application process for NWANA RECOGNIZED status will be published separately at the appropriate stage of the program’s development.

After the group receives RECOGNIZED status, the annual cost of its NWANA group license is $200.

Difference from the Individual University License

The University Nordic Walking Group License applies to the authorized group and is initially provided free of charge.

The Individual University License applies to a specific person and costs $20 per year. RunSignup automatically prorates the fee based on the time remaining in the current license year.

The Individual University License is intended for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, faculty members, researchers, university employees, campus professionals, authorized partners, and other eligible people interested in supporting the development of Nordic Walking at a specific university.

An applicant must have an appropriate connection with the selected university or authorization to participate in proposing or supporting the initiative. A person with no connection to the university may not register an Individual University License under the university’s name without its permission.

An Individual University License holder may join an existing authorized group or help propose the creation of a new group. The individual license does not authorize its holder to represent the university or create a group under the university’s name without permission.

Individual license holders may register for and participate in NWANA in-person and virtual competitions in accordance with the rules of each event. They receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees.

Neither the individual license nor the group license is an athlete competition license. If a separate athlete license is required for a particular competition, this requirement will be stated in the event rules. The athlete license can be obtained through https://license.nwaofna.org/.