Technology Ireland DIGITAL Skillnet and TU Dublin launch Ireland’s first Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation

Ireland’s reputation as a world leader in sports analytics and performance data has received a significant boost with the launch of the country’s first-ever postgraduate course designed for industry professionals seeking cutting edge knowledge on the business of sports.  

The new Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation, is the result of a strategic collaboration between Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, Skillnet Ireland, SportsTech Ireland and Technological University Dublin’s (TU Dublin) Enterprise Academy.  

Launching the programme on Tuesday, March 5th, at TU Dublin, Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation at Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said: “This exciting programme addresses the surging demands of the growing sports technology sector. Ireland has doubled its sportstech foreign direct investment in the past three years, and this Diploma aims to further fuel this success by nurturing skilled talent. This is indeed good news for our nation’s technological and sporting advancement.”  

Máire Hunt, Network Director, Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, said the new programme is designed to meet the needs of experienced professionals working at the intersection of technology, data and innovation: “This is a game changer for professionals working in the sports technology sector and related sectors. Our applicants include data analytics and technology professionals, business professionals, entrepreneurs or leaders in sports organisations, performance experts and former athletes interested in the accelerated commercial potential of sports technology.”  

Aoife O’Sullivan, Skillnet Ireland Head of Network Development & Innovation, said: “By investing in the continuous learning and development of their workforce, businesses ensure that their employees have the latest knowledge and skills necessary to tackle current challenges and innovate effectively. This new programme will not only benefit individual learners, but also contribute significantly to the overall competitiveness and sustainability of sports technology businesses and Ireland’s sportstech industry.”  

Spearheaded by the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin at Ireland’s largest technological university, the programme is delivered by the School of Biological, Health, and Sports Sciences and in conjunction with the Faculty of Business and the Faculty of Computing, Digital and Data, and aims to build a community of Irish sportstech leaders.  

Dr Claire McBride, Head of the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin, said: “Key business decisions and tech product innovations are driven by analytics. State-of-the-art skills are essential to generate business value for the sportstech sector. Having the right industry-education partnerships and networks connected by the Enterprise Academy, provides the lynchpin for such cutting edge and business aligned programmes.”  

The unique 12-month programme is specifically tailored to meet the growing demands of the world’s sports technology sector, an estimated €650 billion a year industry which is anticipated to grow by much as 20% a year between now and 2030.  

Already industry professionals from organisations including Flutter, Stats Perform, FAI, World Rugby, Epic Global, Badminton Ireland and others, have signed up for the programme.   

Beginning in April, participants will tackle three key challenges facing the sports industry; digital transformation in the business of sport; sports data for performance and innovation, and effectively harnessing sports technology.  

For more information about the programme, visit the TU Dublin Enterprise Academy website.