Goal! New programme to drive development of Ireland’s SportsTech industry skills and talent
Ireland’s first Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation
Ireland’s reputation as a world leader in sports analytics and performance data got a significant boost yesterday with the launch of the country’s first-ever postgraduate course designed for industry professionals seeking cutting edge knowledge on the business of sports.
A rapidly growing sportstech industry in Ireland is driven by advances including AI, machine learning, the internet of things (IoT) and biometrics, with the drive to extract business value and performance from sports data at its core.
Pictured at the launch of the new Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation in TU Dublin yesterday Kieran Collins, Programme Academic Lead and Head of Discipline - Dietetics, Nutrition, and Sports Science; Dara Calleary, Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation at Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Dr. Claire McBride, Head of the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin; Professor, David FitzPatrick, President of TU Dublin.
Strategic Collaboration
The new Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation, is the result of a strategic collaboration between Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, SportsTech Ireland, and Technological University Dublin’s Enterprise Academy.
The unique 12-month programme was created by TU Dublin’s Enterprise Academy which brought together expertise from three academic faculties. It is specifically tailored to meet the growing demands of the world’s sports technology sector, an estimated €650 billion a year industry which is anticipated to grow by much as 20% a year between now and 2030.
Already industry professionals from organisations including the Flutter, Stats Perform, FAI, World Rugby, Epic Global, Badminton Ireland and others, have signed up, bridging fan engagement, media, sports data, sports performance, esports.
Kicking off in April
Beginning in April, participants will tackle three key challenges facing the sports industry; digital transformation in the business of sport; sports data for performance and innovation, and effectively harnessing sports technology.
Launching the programme yesterday at TU Dublin, Grangegorman Campus, Dara Calleary, Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said:
"This exciting programme addresses the surging demands of the growing sports technology sector. Ireland has doubled its sportstech foreign direct investment in the past three years, and this Diploma aims to further fuel this success by nurturing skilled talent. This is indeed good news for our nation's technological and sporting advancement."
This exciting programme addresses the surging demands of the growing sports technology sector. Ireland has doubled its sportstech foreign direct investment in the past three years, and this Diploma aims to further fuel this success by nurturing skilled talent. This is indeed good news for our nation's technological and sporting advancement.
Dara Calleary, Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation
Máire Hunt, Network Director, Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, said the new programme is designed to meet the needs of experienced professionals working at the intersection of technology, data and innovation.
“This is a gamechanger for professionals working in the sports technology sector and related sectors. Our applicants include data analytics and technology professionals, business professionals, entrepreneurs or leaders sports organisations, performance experts and former athletes interested in the accelerated commercial potential of sports technology.”
This is a gamechanger for professionals working in the sports technology sector and related sectors. Our applicants include data analytics and technology professionals, business professionals, entrepreneurs or leaders sports organisations, performance experts and former athletes interested in the accelerated commercial potential of sports technology.
Máire Hunt, Network Director, Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet
Caption: Pictured at the launch of the new Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation in TU Dublin yesterday with a Pepper Robot used by the School of Computer Science, TU Dublin, were: Claire McBride, Head of the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin; Dara Calleary, Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation at Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Una Fitzpatrick, Director Technology Ireland and Máire Hunt, Network Director, Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet. Picture: Julien Behal
Spearheaded by the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin at Ireland’s largest technological university, the programme is delivered by the School of Biological, Health, and Sports Sciences and in conjunction with the Faculty of Business and the Faculty of Computing, Digital and Data, and aims to build a community of Irish sportstech leaders.
Dr. Claire McBride, Head of the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin, said: “Key business decisions and tech product innovations are driven by analytics. State of the art skills are essential to generate business value for the sportstech sector. Having the right industry-education partnerships and networks connected by the Enterprise Academy, provides the lynchpin for such cutting edge and business aligned programmes.”
Key business decisions and tech product innovations are driven by analytics. State of the art skills are essential to generate business value for the sportstech sector. Having the right industry-education partnerships and networks connected by the Enterprise Academy, provides the lynchpin for such cutting edge and business aligned programmes.
Dr. Claire McBride, Head of the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin
Commenting Grainne Barry, Founder of SportsTech Ireland and SVP Operations for Stats Perform said: "I am confident that the new Postgrad Diploma and Masters will help foster a community of Irish sportstech leaders, bolstering Ireland's global presence in sports technology. Creating a highly qualified and specialist pipeline of talent in Ireland will enable us to remain at the forefront of this €650 billion global industry.”
I am confident that the new Postgrad Diploma and Masters will help foster a community of Irish sportstech leaders, bolstering Ireland's global presence in sports technology. Creating a highly qualified and specialist pipeline of talent in Ireland will enable us to remain at the forefront of this $700 billion global industry.
Gráinne Barry, Founder of SportsTech Ireland and SVP Operations for Stats Perform
Commenting, Dr. Kieran Collins, Academic Lead at TU Dublin, said:
“The sportstech industry globally - and in Ireland - continues to grow at a remarkable pace. Irish sports tech companies have established themselves as pioneers in innovation, harnessing data and technology, revolutionising how athletes and teams perform, recover and engage with fans."
Visit this page for for more on the programme and how to apply.
About Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet
The Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet is the national business network for the development of the digital technology workforce. Led by Technology Ireland, a business association in Ibec, the Digital Skillnet enables digital acceleration and transformation for companies across Ireland.
From senior leadership programmes for digital futures, to skills development programmes in partnership with universities, trainers, online learning providers and global experts, the Digital Skillnet offer a wide range of upskilling and ‘new skilling’ solutions for companies.
The Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet is funded by Skillnet Ireland from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and co-funded by the European Union through ESF+.
About TU Dublin Enterprise Academy
The TU Dublin Enterprise Academy is a multidisciplinary business unit at Technological University Dublin taking an innovative approach to collaborative talent development for workplace learners.
The Enterprise Academy works with enterprises across all sectors and business types to create flexible, scalable, accredited solutions that address sector-specific, cross-sector and transversal skill needs. Our work is informed by the latest research on future skills and relevant frameworks such as micro-credentials, mentoring, Work-Based Learning and Recognition of Prior Learning, as well as key drivers of change such as sustainability and digital transformation.
The Enterprise Academy is funded by the Higher Education Authority's HCI Pillar 3, a government programme designed to meet priority skills needs, by increasing collaboration between higher education and enterprise with a focus on innovations in teaching and learning.
The Enterprise Academy is funded under Pillar III of the Human Capital Initiative - Innovation and Agility,
by the Higher Education Authority.
