Qatar Foundation (QF) has teamed up with the International School Sport Federation (ISF), a non-profit organisation recognised by the International Olympic Committee, to evaluate the sporting landscape within its schools and universities, to boost student participation, especially among women and girls.
Under the agreement with ISF, a thorough analysis will be carried out on the sports programmes across QF’s 13 Pre-University Education (PUE) schools and seven of its universities. This includes assessing both curricular and extracurricular sports activities.
ISF will compile the results, comparing them with local and international schools, and develop a list of recommendations to advance the schools and universities towards global best practices. The analysis and recommendations are expected to be finalised by July 2024.
Abeer al-Khalifa, president, PUE said: “Qatar Foundation is committed to fostering interest and enthusiasm for sports among the local community, especially young people, recognizing how it can serve as a pathway to healthy lifestyles.
“It is for this reason that we have partnered with ISF to evaluate our sporting systems. We aim to serve as a role model within the region and beyond, leading by example, and to achieve this, we must prioritise innovation, inclusivity, and excellence in all our endeavours.”
Laurent Petrynka, ISF president and member of the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Education Commission, said: “We would like to thank Qatar Foundation for choosing the ISF and the ISF Academy to conduct this important mission. We hope that the outcomes of our work will contribute ultimately to support the increase of sport participation of the QF school students, and girls in particular.
“In the framework of this Olympic year, I am convinced that the bold vision of HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, will inspire other government decision makers worldwide to invest in sport at school, whether it’s for developing grassroot or elite sport strategy. Everything starts at school.”
The collaboration aims to boost student participation, especially among women and girls.
