As part of its commitment to advancing local knowledge, the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) on September 30 staged a public event on current developments shaping global sport management. 

Held against the backdrop of the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships, and with FIFA World Cup 2022 drawing closer, Impacts and Best Practices in International Sport Management shared expert knowledge and industry-level insights from around the world. Those speaking at the event also considered possible next-steps towards enhancing Qatar’s and the wider region’s ability to continue hosting sporting events with a global reach.

Impacts and Best Practices in International Sport Management hosted two experts with considerable experience in sport venue management; Aila Ahonen, a Board Member of the European Association of Sport Management, provided an overview of Finland’s approach to sport management, as well as the country’s contribution to activities at the international level. She was joined by Antti Pihlakoski, a Council Member of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), who shared his experience of working in the global sport management industry. The speakers also presented news about Jyväskylä Hippos, a Finnish sport management strategy development that combines an internationally-unique concentration of sports and wellbeing facilities into one solid entity. 

Speaking after the event, Dr. Mounir Hamdi, dean of CSE, said: “From the World Athletics Championships to the FIFA World Cup, and more, Qatar has joined an exclusive group of countries capable of hosting major sporting events. However, the practice of sport management remains fluid and responsive to advances in engineering and technology. That’s why the CSE was delighted to host two highly-respected figures from an industry that’s very much a work-in-progress as well as much needed. We’re confident that their valuable contributions will keep Qatar at the forefront of global sporting opportunities.”

Dr. Tareq Al-Ansari, assistant professor at CSE, said: “The Division of Engineering Management and Decision Sciences complements the college’s aspirations to be at the forefront of locally relevant yet globally impactful education, which is reflected as we align with internationally acclaimed events and worldwide trends in sports and learning. The experts we hosted at our event have added much valuable insights to growing discussions that will only gain momentum as we approach the FIFA 2022 World Cup.” 

The College of Science and Engineering regularly hosts public lectures and conferences that reflect its multi-disciplinary projects and research activities. It boasts three divisions across Sustainable Development; Information and Computing Technology; and Engineering Management and Decision Sciences, and is home to 14 state-of-the-art degrees that tackle current and future needs.

The college’s Master of Science in Sport and Entertainment Management is a joint degree with the University of South Carolina (USC), and is classified as the first master’s degree in sports and entertainment management in Qatar. It is also one of very few in the MENA region.

For more information, please visit hbku.edu.qa