Rajasthan Royals and Deakin University ink pioneering ‘Sports Education’ partnership

Top Australian University to build a case study and promote Sports Education in India together with the team

New Delhi 12^th March 2014: Rajasthan Royals today announced the signing of a unique new partnership with Deakin University, one of Australia's most respected and awarded public centres of higher education. The university will be Royals’ official Sports Education Partnerduring the upcoming Pepsi Indian Premier League 2014.

Since its inception, Rajasthan Royals has been a team that is at the forefront in terms of nurturing and promoting young and promising Indian talent. The team has in place, a number of highly respected initiatives in this regard. Through the association, the organisations will work on promoting Sports Education in India. Deakin University will initiate research in Management and Science aspects in Sports, put together a case study and offer its students IPL internships and scholarships.

Powered by an inimitable blend of young and experienced players from India and abroad, the team won the league’s first season and finished third in 2013. It is recognised as a highly efficient playing unit and a brand that has grown incredibly since the inaugural edition. The association will enable the team to maximise its resources further and serve as an inspiring case study in Sports Management.

Speaking about the association with Deakin University, Raghu Iyer, CEO, Rajasthan Royals, said, “We are excited about our association with the highly respected Deakin University. This unique partnership will enable us to promote Sports Education in India while serving as a worthy case for research and learning. We thank Deakin University for associating with us and look forward to helping create ever-growing value in the years to come.”

The Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, Professor Jane den Hollander, said Deakin was honoured to form such a strong partnership with an organisation that shared its commitment to excellence: “We are delighted to partner with one of the world’s best Twenty20 teams.”

Professor den Hollander said, “Applying management and marketing theories and business principles within a leisure framework is the defining feature of our sport management degrees. Deakin continues to carry out in-depth research in the area of sports management and we firmly believe students, staff and our partner will benefit greatly from this wonderful new association around sports education in India.”

During the last six seasons, Royals has successfully identified talented young cricketers, put them through rigorous training camps under skilled coaching staff and provided best opportunities to perform at the top level. Under the expert leadership of legendary players Shane Warne and Rahul Dravid, the team has gone on to impress the cricketing world with its consistency, strength and positive attitude. After the appointment of mental conditioning trainer Paddy Upton as Head Coach, Royals outperformed the league’s top teams and reached the final of the 2013 Karbonn Smart Champions League T20.

About Deakin University, Australia

Established in 1974, Deakin University successfully combines excellent teaching, research and effective partnerships with industry, government and the professions to deliver high quality courses and undertake research that makes a difference to the domestic and international communities it serves. Deakin is one of Australia’s largest universities with more than 47,000 students in four Victorian campuses across Melbourne, Geelong and Warrnambool.

Amongst the recent accolades won by the University, Deakin's MBA and MBA (International) have received a 5 star rating from the Graduate Management Association of Australia (GMAA). 

Deakin is currently ranked at # 66 in top 100 Under 50 by Times Higher Education and has also been awarded five star rating in Engineering and related fields of Research as per Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) report.

From being the first University in Australia to offer integrated business degrees in sport management, Deakin's Master of Business (Sport Management) still remains Australia's best sport management program.  Deakin is currently ranked 7th in the world by Sport Business International*, and is the only Australian program to make the top 25. There's more good news for Deakin graduates with a top 2 ranking for graduate salaries since 2012.

* Source: Sport Business International's Postgraduate Sports Course Guide, 2013.

Deakin aims to provide learners with skills to work in the business of sport, in all its manifestations, including professional sport, national and state sporting organisations and community sport.