Written by JJ JJ
Updated on September 15, 2026 4 -minute read

Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches Launches MSc in Sports Management & Events to Support the UAE’s Growing Sports Economy

The account strengthens QComms’ education communications portfolio and builds on the agency’s experience working with schools, universities and education groups.

Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches has recorded nearly 10% year-on-year growth in student enrolment, with UAE nationals representing nearly 50% of the student cohort, reflecting rising demand for its innovative curriculum and industry-focused approach to hospitality education in the region.

Since its opening in September 2024, the Academy is now home to over 200 students, marking a significant milestone in its contribution of skilled talent to the hospitality sector. Emirati students continue to represent a significant share of the student body, with nearly 100 UAE nationals currently enrolled, representing half of the student cohort.

To accommodate this growth, the Academy has expanded its campus with additional classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology, a premium podcast studio, and a new Learning and Resource Center featuring dedicated student collaboration rooms to support research and academic development.

In September 2026, the Academy welcomed the inaugural cohort of the Master of Science in Sports Management & Events, a new program designed to meet demand for professionals who can bridge the commercial and experiential dimensions of sport.

“We are delighted to welcome our first cohort of students to the MSc in Sports Management & Events program at such an exciting time for sport in the UAE. As the sector continues to gain momentum and drive growth across the wider tourism and hospitality industries, we have an incredible opportunity and responsibility as educators to ensure the next generation is ready to lead that growth. We are proud to equip these students with the business insight, practical experience and leadership skills needed to create exceptional experiences across sport and hospitality in the UAE and beyond,” said Georgette Davey, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches.

Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches is participating in this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, sharing insights on the evolving talent needs of the region’s hospitality and sport sectors. The Academy’s Managing Director, Georgette Davey, will join the panel, “Beyond Recovery: Talent, Community and Sustainable Growth” where she will discuss the role of specialized education in developing skilled local talent to support the UAE’s tourism and sport ambitions. Davey will also highlight the new master’s program and its role in preparing students for opportunities within the growing sports and events sector.

Professor Edmund Goh, PhD, Assistant Dean, Research and Innovation at the Academy, will bring a complementary perspective during a thought-provoking fire-side session during the event, titled “Hospitality’s Need for a Human in the Loop.” As automation and AI transform service delivery across the region’s hotels and venues, Professor Goh will discuss the significance of preserving emotional intelligence, creativity and personal judgement in the guest experience. Moving forward, hospitality and sport management will need professionals who can balance commercial and technological fluency with the human, relationship-driven qualities no algorithm can replicate.

Designed for both ambitious graduates and experienced industry leaders, the MSc in Sports Management & Events develops expertise across sports economics, marketing, brand management, event management, digital communication, sustainability and stakeholder relations. Students will learn from leading faculty, while gaining practical experience through applied projects and a six-month internship.

Faculty gender diversity is a deliberate feature of the program: with 50% of teaching staff women, the Academy aims to provide visible role models for women entering the sector, at a time when women hold just over 32% of executive positions in international sports federations globally, according to the UN. Across Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches as a whole, women represent 63% of staff and 37% of leadership positions.

The launch of the MSc in Sports Management & Events reaffirms Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches’ commitment to developing the homegrown talent that will advance the UAE’s ambitions across the fast-converging worlds of sport, tourism and hospitality, as part of the wider Les Roches and Sommet Education global network.

For more information about Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches and its academic programs, please visit: www.lesroches.ae

For media enquiries, please contact:
Justin Froes
E: Justin.f@qcomms.ae
M: +971 52 241 5397

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