Middlesex University Dubai has launched the London Sport Institute in Dubai, bringing its sport science and performance programmes to the UAE.
The institute, known as LSID, is based at the university’s Dubai campus and is intended to support education, research and professional training across the local sports sector. Its opening comes as the UAE continues to invest heavily in sport, from schools and community clubs to elite performance.
Former football manager Harry Redknapp
The launch was marked at an event at the Armani Hotel Dubai on February 6. A panel discussion focused on leadership and the future of sport featured figures from different disciplines, including former football manager Harry Redknapp, former Wales and British & Irish Lions scrum-half Mike Phillips, Paralympic swimmer Jessica Smith, MMA fighter Tarek Suleiman and Emirati sprinter Maryam Alfarsi. Basketball player Jazz Ferguson delivered the keynote address.
LSID will offer programmes from foundation to postgraduate level, including sport and exercise science, performance analysis, and strength and conditioning. Teaching will be supported by specialist facilities such as a performance laboratory, with students expected to take part in applied projects and placements with sports organisations across the UAE.
Middlesex University Dubai said the institute is aligned with the goals of the Dubai Sports Agenda 2033, which aims to increase participation and develop talent across the emirate.
Alongside the institute, the university also announced the creation of a Sports Research Centre. The centre will focus on applied sport science research, working with regional partners and hosting conferences and knowledge-sharing events in the UAE.
Professor Cedwyn Fernandes and Professor Shan Wareing – Middlesex University Dubai
Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Director of Middlesex University Dubai, said the institute was designed to prepare graduates for roles across the sports sector, from high-performance environments to community sport.
Redknapp said education would play a key role in sustaining the UAE’s sporting growth, particularly by developing coaches, analysts and practitioners working behind the scenes.
Middlesex University Dubai has more than 7,000 students from over 120 nationalities and operates across multiple campuses in the emirate.
