In 2019, Josoor Institute continued its successful drive towards building the country's expertise for delivering an outstanding FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

Workshops and programmes – delivered locally, regionally and internationally – as well as research were among the areas where Josoor Institute grew its activities and made significant progress.

The conclusion of the third cohort of the Professional Diploma Programmes in Sports Management and Major Events Management in December saw the total number of graduates rise to 252.

Helped by an academic partnership with SDA Bocconi School of Management, a highly regarded business faculty, these programmes are serving to strengthen the academic knowledge and boost the managerial aptitude of sports and events professionals in Qatar and across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Since signing an agreement with SDA Bocconi School of Management in February, Josoor Institute has benefited from their expertise in designing, delivering and providing academic endorsements for the flagship Professional Diploma Programmes.

Delegates had exceptional opportunities to learn from sporting legends. Argentinean footballer Javier Zanetti, Vice-President of Italian soccer giants Inter Milan and a member of the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions, was among the speakers and he shared his insights on the role of professional sports education and event management.

Research outcomes consistently highlight the need for professionals to gain practical, first-hand experience in the ever dynamic and evolving sports and events industries. Through the Executive Development Programme, Josoor Institute was able to leverage the expertise of the sports and events industries on three continents this year and give delegates access to top sports executives who have made their mark in the global sports industry.

From Doha in February, to Atlanta, USA, in June, and London, UK, in October, the third edition of the Executive Development Programme had several well-known figures from Qatar's sports world participating, including Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) ambassador, respected sports journalist and senior sports presenter at beIN SPORTS, Mohammed Saadon Al Kuwari, and Al Kass Sports Channels presenter, Meshal Shaker Al Shamari.

As part of the SC's Observation Programme, and Josoor Institute's commitment to provide unrivalled learning opportunities, a former delegate travelled to be part of the 2019 Copa America in Brazil. A shadowing role gave him valuable experience and first-hand insight of what it takes to put together a major sporting event.

Josoor Institute has also been especially active in working on projects designed to stimulate discussion and thought leadership within the sports and events industries. The organisation's research on 'Middle East Football Fan Engagement' investigated and analysed fan engagement in the Qatar and MENA region, offering fascinating insights. The WISE Global Summit was a platform to present a new research project on 'Global Sport Development Systems and Athletes' Access to Education' as part of Josoor Institute's continuous efforts to enrich the local and regional sports industries through in-depth research that brings new understanding. These and other findings are also shared and discussed at monthly panel sessions and workshops which bring together team members from the SC and international and local stakeholders such as the International Labour Organization and the Ministry of Public Health.

A particularly successful summer saw Hamad Bin Khalifa University launch a new online programme as part of its ongoing agreement with edX. The professional certificate programme 'Sustainability and Major Sport Events', designed in partnership with Josoor Institute, addresses the critical sustainability aspects of planning and hosting large-scale sporting events. The response to the programme has confirmed the demand for these skills across the wider region.

In a busy ending to 2019, Josoor Institute delivered a Professional Development Workshop in Oman targeting sports and business professionals. Josoor Institute delivered the two-day programme, titled 'Harnessing the Power of Sport'. The workshop gave delegates access to some of the brightest minds in sports and was an important contribution to Josoor Institute's efforts to build capacity to strengthen the regional sports industry.

Josoor Institute continues to strengthen a growing network of partners and stakeholders at every opportunity and in December a workshop on 'Managing A Successful Career' once again brought football legend Zanetti back to Doha, where he also took time to address a bespoke workshop for the Qatar Stars League.

As the excitement continues to grow ahead of the tournament, which is certain to captivate sports enthusiasts from across the globe in 2022, Josoor Institute has already put plans in place for 2020 to take forward these efforts to build a culture of excellence in the country and the region's sports and events industries.