The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) and Qatar University (QU) have formalised their existing relationship by signing a large spectrum cooperation agreement today.
The agreement will see QU becoming a member of the SIGA University Network (SUN), an informal grouping set up by SIGA in 2018, comprised of some of the world’s leading universities and research institutes, including George Washington University, Institute of Economic, Financial and Tax Law of Faculty of Law of Lisbon, the Hight Institute of Law and Economy of Spain, The Institute of Legal and Political Sciences of Lisbon, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, amongst others
The primary purposes of the SUN comprise:
- Knowledge Transfer: to ensure Sport Integrity becomes a key component of the University Curriculum, including, by means of example, via the development of Integrity-related Executive Education Courses.
- Research: to design, develop and deliver multi-stakeholder research, attain cross-industry support, generate industry-leading content and data that underpins thought leadership initiatives and to attract funding from various sources.
- Future Leaders Programme: to deliver integrated development, recognition and enrichment opportunities that create a bridge between the university and practitioner environments, specifically tailored to help shape the leaders of tomorrow. This will include high-level internship opportunities for university students with SIGA and our Members and Committed Supporters.
SIGA has also announced that QU will host SUN’s inaugural meeting on 02 July 2020. This event will work towards solidifying the SUN Research Agenda 2020/2021 by exploring new collaborative initiatives to add to current SIGA Thought Leadership Projects, which include (but are not limited to):
- The SIGA White Paper on Sport Integrity;
- The SIGA – UNESCO joint project on “The Business Case for Sport Integrity”;
- The Comparative Legal Analysis on Criminalisation of Corruption in Sport; and
- SIGA Global Agenda on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport;
Qatar University President, Dr. Hassan Rashid al-Derham, commented:
“Qatar University and the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) both share the common belief that sports is a valuable component of society and we are looking forward to working with them to exchange knowledge, promote positive sport values, including sport ethics, integrity and transparency. Through this agreement, we will add value to the work Qatar University has been doing in the field of sports and our focus on providing sports opportunities and encouragement for youth. This is in line with the vision of the country towards building an active, healthy sports culture for the whole community.”
Dr. Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, CEO of SIGA and Chairman & CEO of SIGA AMERICA, commented:
“No genuine attempts at reform can succeed unless they are built upon solid foundations. Robust thought leadership and research initiatives are indispensable to the SIGA reform agenda. They underpin everything that we do. This is exactly why the SIGA University Network is so important to us.
As such, I am delighted to officially welcome Qatar University into the fold. They are a world-renowned hub of productivity, engagement and academic excellence. Qatar University is a cornerstone of the dynamism of the region, best exemplified by the upcoming FIFA World Cup, but also clearly visible across the broad range of sport-related, educational and cultural initiatives. I am looking forward to our action-orientated collaboration both in the region and globally.”