David Jackson, Director, International Development, Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education at Leeds Metropolitan University
That India?s enormous economic strides have made global headlines is now a given. As the rest of the world makes a beeline for India (and China), areas hitherto neglected are also finding attention. Fields like sports and related areas ? like sports education and sports management are also edging their way into the spotlight as they begin to be seen as viable career options.
David Jackson, principal lecturer, Leisure and Sport Management and Director of International Development for the Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education at Leeds Metropolitan University was recently in India to view the exploratory steps being taken by his institution to draw students to courses on sports.
?Sports education is beginning to develop in India,? he says, but points out that not many see it as a viable option at the moment. ?As the economy grows and expands, there will be greater awareness of fitness and personal health,? he explains, ?and that will require trained personnel at both the elite as well as the community level.? The interest among Indian students queuing up for university courses for sports is admittedly low, says Jackson. ?Not many Indians ask for degrees in sports,? he says of the approximately 200 Indians who are going to the Leeds University each year from India. Jackson is eager for tie-ups initially in Delhi and Mumbai, while cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore are also on his agenda. But there is scope. ?The sports industry in the UK is bigger than the car industry,? he says, pointing out that there is no reason it should be different in India.
The university is currently exploring Indian partnerships for the courses. ?We can have part of the course here and part in the UK,? he explains. Jackson was recently in India to talk to different universities and institutes to further this. ?We however want to be careful about who we partner with,? he adds. As to why India needs to tie up with universities abroad, he says the infrastructure here is still not ready, though it is on its way. Events like the recently concluded Indian Premier League for cricket require marketing, public relations, science and coaching, he points out, and ?trained staff and understanding of the field are going to be crucial.?
The university, which has 75 years of experience in delivering high quality sports education, is already partnering in the Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Pune in October this year and the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010. ?The Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education works in partnership to give the best possible exposure to its students,? he stresses. And part of this is the partnership with Yorkshire County Cricket, which now has the officially renamed Headingley Carnegie Cricket, the venue for many famous cricketing exploits. Incidentally, the stadium, which also hosts rugby, provides access to students of the course to interact with champions and top-flight athletes, who can give valuable first hand experience. ?The rugby players are also students at the university,? says Jackson, pointing out the proximity other students get to interact and learn.
With an office in Delhi and a support network around the country, the university hopes to attract more students to its courses, though not just sports. The Carnegie Faculty offers ten scholarships for international students worth ?3,000 each annually to encourage more enrolment from other parts of the world. Hopefully, its track record of excellence will rub off in India via students, and this could be a nascent step towards a future giant sector developing.