University kicks off new education partnership with Rangers.
A unique arrangement has led to sports students from the University of Stirling joining Rangers Football Club’s backroom personnel.
Stirling University has partnered with the Scottish Premiership football team on its MPhil Performance Analysis course, the first of its kind in Scotland, to provide students with the opportunity to become fully immersed in Rangers’ coaching staff and gain invaluable experience in a professional sports environment.
Dr. David Stevenson, a lecturer in Sport Management at the University of Stirling, developed the unique alliance.
He stated that the alliance aims to provide students with hands-on work experience in high-performance sport while also promoting opportunities in Scotland and keeping talent in the region.
“Students will work alongside Rangers’ first teams and youth development programmes, employing their academic knowledge to support the performance analysis personnel, as well as on an individual research project.
“There’s no doubt that being amongst a set up like Rangers offers an unparalleled learning experience and will set our students up for successful careers in the world of sport.”
The formal relationship with the one-year Masters degree builds on a work placement effort with Rangers that ten undergraduate students from Stirling participated in last year.
Rangers Football Club’s Academy Director, Zeb Jacobs, stated, “I am extremely proud of our long and dynamic partnership with the University of Stirling.” This relationship is more than just a partnership; it is a tremendous tool for allowing young kids to grow and develop in our engaging environment.
“Working alongside top practitioners in many disciplines, our students are not only preparing for today’s difficulties, but also gaining abilities and experiences that will serve them well throughout their lives. This collaboration demonstrates our dedication to excellence and the bright future of our young people.”
Ross Ireland, an MPhil Performance Analysis student, stated: “I’ve already had great exposure to so many talented people and have the freedom to work on the areas that really interest me, such as providing educational analysis sessions to academy players, working with under 18s coaches, and preparing and presenting data and analysis to players and coaching staff.
“The opportunity has opened my eyes to the wide range of roles available in professional sport and I know this year will not only boost my skills and confidence, but also really prepare me for a career in high performance sport.”
Andrew Smyth, who also joined Rangers via the MPhil, said: “Football has always been a hobby for me, so to be given the opportunity to work at a football club as big as
“Rangers’ academy performance analysis department is among the best in Britain. I’m excited about the hands-on work experience and the opportunity to generate a study that will benefit the club through my research project.”
Attached photo: University of Stirling students Ross Ireland, Andrew Smyth, and Harry Sutherland work as analysts for Rangers Football Club as part of their MPhil Performance Analysis degree.
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