ASPIRE Workshop focuses on Champions' Education

One of the major themes of the event was the different levels of social support and educational strategies which boarding schools - schools where students are lodged and fed as well as taught - provide.

ASPIRE, which has full boarding facilities, is unique in the Middle East, so the opportunity to share information with leading academics from Europe and the US provided an important opportunity to discuss educating student-athletes in school and boarding school environments.

As very few children attend boarding schools in the region, the concept of live-in education is still largely under-discussed. With this in mind, the workshop demonstrated how successful many boarding schools have been in providing high level sports training and a solid path to future excellence.

Embracing a range of sub-topics, including curricula, time-tables, leisure-time and students' social life, the workshop reflected the level of thought and expertise which supports ASPIRE's innovative education strategy.

Academy Dean Prof. Dr. Dieter Hackfort, said: "Through informed discussion and the exchange of ideas, we aim to further improve the quality of the ASPIRE's educational approach and continue to provide a formula for learning which hones the minds as well as the athletic prowess of our student athletes.

"We have a duty to our student athletes to provide a balanced education, nurturing those who are as intellectually curious as well as those who are physically proficient. We want to become a benchmark not just for sporting excellence, but also for academic expertise, and workshops like this one provide an ideal opportunity to share information with some extremely experienced academic experts."