The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is upon us. When the first whistle is blown at the newly built, state-of-the-art Al Bayt Stadium in the northern city of Al Khor on November 23, 2022, at 1 pm, Qatar will become the first nation in the Middle East to have ever hosted the world’s biggest footballing event. The stadium’s innovative concept, which honors Qatar’s past and present while keeping an eye on the future, mirrors how Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) is holistically transforming the knowledge, innovation, and research landscape in Qatar and beyond.
It has taken Qatar years of commitment, innovation, and persistence to make it this far, the legacy of which, like all elements of Qatar’s remarkable development, will truly last for generations to come. HBKU’s inclusive education model is a testament to Qatar’s futuristic commitment to excellence through embedding theory, impactful research, and best practices in a unique interdisciplinary environment to train future leaders in a varied range of fields, mainly in the rising sports sector.
With the forthcoming World Cup months away, HBKU’s graduate programs in Exercise Science, and Sport and Entertainment Management offer a unique opportunity for professionals in Qatar and beyond to develop further expertise and take part in the advancement of the sports sector in Qatar even after the World Cup.
To this end, the Exercise Science Division at HBKU is well placed to be a key focal point for fostering the future leaders in the science of sport and exercise in line with the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030 to promote healthy lifestyles and enhance the health and welfare of Qatar’s population.
The Master of Science (MS) in Exercise Science is offered within the College of Health and Life Science (CHLS), which is the only graduate program in exercise science in the Gulf region and is designed to prepare students for a range of professions within the field of Exercise Science and associated health-related specialties. The three key areas of interest for the program include exercise physiology, biomechanics and motor control, and epidemiology of physical activity.
HBKU’s Exercise Science program is run in conjunction with the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina (USC) as a joint degree, bringing onboard international experience to students in Qatar.
The faculty leading the program at HBKU provides students with a plethora of practical learning opportunities in a wide range of research areas. Dr. Paul Grimshaw, associate professor, CHLS, Dr. Nathan Townsend, and Dr. Hend Mansoor, both assistant professors at CHLS, who spearheaded the program, provide vital expertise that will lead this future development of sports science in Qatar.
The research conducted as part of this program could apply to any aspect of analysis from elite sports such as in the prevention of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in elite soccer players through to exercise epidemiology involving the availability of access to large-scale databases and statistical software. It could also be used to examine the relationship between physical activity and chronic diseases.
Advancing vital research within the field in conjunction with the graduate studies program, HBKU is also developing state-of-the-art exercise science laboratories, which will offer students and collaborators across Doha the opportunity to conduct research projects in the areas of cardiorespiratory physiology, autonomic function, pulmonary and oxygen uptake kinetics, 3D motion capture, kinetic analysis, and electromyography. In addition, CHLS maintains partnerships with key stakeholders in the field of health sciences including Qatar Biobank, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Sidra Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar University, and Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital.
With sport being identified as a significant component of the economic diversification strategy, HBKU’s innovative MS in Sport and Entertainment Management (MSEM) aims to support the development of Qatar’s sport industry by qualifying professionals with a variety of skills and experiences covering the legal, financial, as well as the operational and management aspects of the sport and entertainment industries.
MSEM is offered in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) as a joint degree with USC. It is the only graduate program in Qatar and one of a few in the MENA region. The program trains and prepares students for management and leadership roles in the sport and entertainment industries. With a thriving sport industry in Qatar, graduates of the program can pursue a variety of career paths in the private and public sports sectors including sponsorship, marketing, event management, facility management, TV broadcasting, and academia and research.
Allowing students to choose from a wide array of innovative courses such as sport and event logistics and e-sports, the one-of-its-kind degree program endeavors to bridge the academia-industry gap in the sports sector. Faculty and students work closely with industry, blending theoretical concepts with applied learning in the field. To further develop the sport industry in Qatar, and the broader region, collaboration with industry takes place through internships and applied research. Industry partners include the Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy, Josoor Institute, Generation Amazing, Qatar Olympic Committee, and Qatar Sports Technology, among others.
HBKU together with Qatar University will host the World Association for Sport Management (WASM) Conference in March 2022; the first time the event will be held in the MENA region. Working in the sport industry requires a specific skill set and given Qatar’s positioning as a major international sporting hub, with the 2022 FIFA World Cup on the horizon and the 2030 Asian Games in the near future, HBKU, in line with that of the State of Qatar, is committed to developing the education of future leaders and managers in the sport industry.
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