Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy
The Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy is one of a number of research institutes identified within the university and its specific focus is on the theoretically informed analysis of sport and leisure policy.
The Institute was established in 1990 with five years of core funding from the Sports Council, and was renamed in 1997 to reflect more closely its current focus. Output from the Institute covers a wide spectrum ranging from theoretical analyses and reflections on current policy and emerging issues through to commissioned research and consultancy from a broad range of national and international organisations involved in policy making.
Director of the Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy is Dr. Paul Downward (Senior Lecturer). In addition within the institute there are two professors, Professor Ian Henry (Director of the Centre for Olympic Studies and Research and Professor of Leisure Policy and Management), Professor Barrie Houlihan (Professor of Sport Policy); and four lecturers Dr. Mahfoud Amara, Dr Guillaume Bodet, Dr. Borja Garcia, Dr. Joe Piggin.
The international standing of its members is reflected in representation on external bodies, journal editorships, plenary papers at national and international conferences, and research collaboration with leading researchers in Europe, North America and Asia. The Institute has been part of the highly successful research culture of the School which is unique in having obtained the highest research grading in this field in the last three national Research Assessment Exercises. The School is the only 5* rated research group in the sports science and related fields in the UK to incorporate the full range of natural and social sciences.
Themes in the Institute's Research Programme
The research programme of the Institute's eight staff is currently grouped under three major themes:
- Comparative and Transnational Sport and Leisure Policy
- Management and Policy Evaluation in Sport
- Olympic Studies and Research
Consultancy activities
The Institute has traditionally been involved in a range of consultancy activities for public sector bodies such as the European Commission, Council of Europe, Sports Councils and Local Government, for voluntary sector bodies such as the International Olympic Committee, and National Governing Bodies of Sport, and for commercial leisure companies, property developers, sport and leisure consultancies, sports architects and start up companies.
Links with the Institute of Youth Sport
In addition to the above, Institute members are engaged in research projects conducted jointly with the Institute of Youth Sport.
PhD studies
The research work of the Institute incorporates a wide range of PhD studies in sport and leisure policy related fields, grouped around the principal themes listed above. View further details of PhD studies.