Sheikh Nahayan Can Inspire Young Emiratis To Sporting Success - Sulayem

New appointment will help reinforce Minister’s influence on youth, says ATCUAE President

H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, the UAE’s new
Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, can inspire young Emiratis to find success in the sporting arena, says Dr. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE.

Sulayem said today that Sheikh Nahayan’s new role as a result of this week’s cabinet reshuffle will allow him to reinforce his influence on Emirati youth and empower them to develop rewarding careers in sport.

Sheikh Nahayan, who was Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research for more than 20 years, is also Chairman of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare.

“He has already done so much for the youth of the UAE, and he is now in the position to have an even bigger influence on our next generation of young Emiratis in sport,” said Sulayem.

“Sheikh Nahayan has worked tirelessly to develop our higher education structure, and at the same time to create many more opportunities for our youth to enjoy sport, and excel in the sporting arena.

“He will continue to build on what he has achieved in the years ahead to allow sport and education to work together for the benefit of our future generations.”

Sulayem, who is Vice President of the FIA, motor sport’s world governing body, says Sheikh Nahayan was the key figure behind the launch earlier this month of a Bachelor’s degree programme creating a unique opportunity for young Emiratis to study for roles in the country’s future as a world-class sporting destination.

“This would not have been possible without the vision of Sheikh Nahayan,” said Sulayem. “He gave it his full support because he saw how important sport has become to our society, and to the development of the UAE’s image as a young and progressive nation.”

The establishment of a BSc (Hons) Applied Sport Management programme is the result of a
partnership between the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), the largest provider of higher education in the UAE, and the University of Ulster, one of the UK’s top learning institutes.

This programme, the first undergraduate qualification in sport management provided in the Arab world, will be delivered at HCT by lecturers from Ulster, working alongside academics from the host institution. The first batch of students to be admitted will commence a full time, four-year course in September this year.

In recent years, the UAE has witnessed an exponential growth in the 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.

The launch of the sports management degree is part of a commitment by the UAE government to meet the growing need for specific higher education opportunities in the country allowing young Emiratis to develop the knowledge and skills needed to drive its sports, events and leisure tourism industries in the future. 

Emirate:  Dubai

Date: Mar 20, 2013

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