Sports In Cities: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Impact

Catalog description

Abu Dhabi has taken a lead role among cities in the Gulf region and Middle East that are rapidly rising as global centers for sports events and sports-led development. Driven by its Vision 2030 strategy, the emirate is promoting sport to spur economic and social innovation in ways that make a positive impact within neighborhoods, between communities, and among nations. This course recognizes Abu Dhabi as a "home ground" for asking the question: How are the cities of today harnessing the power of sport to make the world of tomorrow? The course uses sport as a starting point for identifying, analyzing, and drawing lessons from a range of people, organizations, and institutions in the business, government, and non-profit sectors that influence our larger world. An emphasis is placed on understanding the thoughts, decisions, actions, relationships, and contexts that propel innovators and entrepreneurs who have shaped the modern global sport ecosystem and the changes it brings to its wider communities. Learning is focused on interlacing current events, historical examples, and industry cases to explore, examine, and interpret patterns and principles of innovation and entrepreneurship. This course will be offered in January-Term 2026.