UEFA picks six boffins for football research grant initiative

UEFA3

June 25 – UEFA has selected six proposals for its Research Grant Programme for the 2015/16 programme. 52 applications were received from 25 different UEFA member associations supported projects.

The UEFA Research Grant Programme was created to support the work of researchers studying for or already holding a PhD and analysing European football. Each project is granted up to €15,000 of research funding.

Now, the six researchers chosen will spend the next nine months on their projects, reporting back next year. Projects are undertaken in cooperation with their supporting national associations.

UEFA is keen to encourage cooperation between the national associations and the academic community, with the aim to get research projects off the ground that associations can use to develop their own activities and projects.

“There is considerable variety in the topics; the multi-disciplinary element is one of the most interesting aspects of this programme,” said jury chairman William Gaillard.

To celebrate its 60th birthday UEFA has launched a special edition of the programme for 2015/16 by expanding the number of projects supported to six (there were four projects funded in 2014/15). They six chosen projects are:

Effizienzpotenziale im strategischen Stadionmanagement (efficiency potential in strategic stadium management), by Daniel Gruber, University of Bayreuth, Germany. Project supported by the German Football Association.

An unprecedented civilizing process? Social evaluation of “Supporters United” fan project in Poland, by Radoslaw Kossakowski, Gdansk University, Poland. Project supported by the Polish Football Federation.

Transfer of skills from futsal to football in youth players, by Luca Oppici, Victoria University, Australia. Project supported by the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

Beyond the game: If, when and how local football clubs practice corporate social responsibility,by Esbem Rahbek Gjerdrum Pedersen, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. Project supported by the Danish Football Association.

Mental health in football, by Katy Stewart, University of Glasgow, Scotland. Project supported by the Scottish Football Association.
The jury decided to award this grant in the memory of Dr Stewart Hillis, former member of the UEFA Medical Committee, who passed away last year.

Optimising player performance and readiness to train: Fatigue and recovery of neuromuscular function following football match-play, by Kevin Thomas, Northumbria University, Newcastle, England. Project supported by The English Football Association

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