HCT unveils sport management course

The BSc (Hons) Applied Sport Management programme was officially launched on Thursday by Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the HCT.

The programme, the first undergraduate qualification in sports management provided in the Arab world, is a partnership between the HCT and the University of Ulster, one of UK’s top learning institutes. The programme will see lecturers from Ulster, working alongside academics from the host institution. The first batch of students to be admitted will commence in September this year.

The BSc (Hons) Applied Sport Management degree is a four-year programme consisting of 29 courses aimed at developing a full understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced by those managing global sport in the twenty-first century.

In recent years, the UAE has witnessed an exponential growth in sports, events and leisure tourism sectors. As the country looks forward to continued development in the years ahead, there are significant opportunities for Emirati students to build careers in sports management.

It is anticipated that both practicing sport management professionals and aspirants will apply for this course, and many may already be employed, either in a full-time or part-time capacity within the UAE.

“The overarching objective of the applied sports management programme is to ensure students understand that such a degree course will not only equip them for employment, but also develop attributes and provide experiences that will greatly enrich them as individuals,” said professor Peter Barnett, vice chancellor of the University of Ulster, during the launch.

“It is important for our country’s sporting future that, through the provision of higher education based on the best international standards, a new generation of young Emiratis is developed and empowered to contribute to the continuing growth of the UAE sports industry,” added Dr Tayeb Kamali, HCT vice chancellor.

The sport management programme reinforces the existing research and training links between the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), the national motor sport authority, and Northern Ireland in the fields of motor sport research and education.

“Sport is becoming increasingly important to our society and to the development of our global image as a young and progressive nation. The UAE is eager to earn a bigger share in the global sports industry, which is projected to reach a value of US$145 billion (Dh532 billion) by 2015,” said Dr Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the ATCUAE.

“To allow the UAE to take the next step, we need qualified and trained Emiratis running our sports properties to the highest international standards. This created a need for world-class quality education based in the UAE that allows the talented young population of the UAE to take our sports to the next level,” he added.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com