FIFA MASTER ALUMNI - WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - NADIM NASSIF

Nadim Nassif

Current Position: Associate Professor in Physical Education and Sports, Notre Dame University - Louaize (NDU), Lebanon

Year of graduation: 2002 (2nd edition)

Nationality: Lebanese / French

What does your current role involve?

After completing the FIFA Master, I earned an MPhil in Sports History from De Montfort University in 2009 and a PhD in Sports Sociology from Université Grenobles-Alpes (UGA), in France. Getting my PhD allowed me to get promoted from the position of lecturer to Assistant Professor at Notre Dame University - Louaize (NDU), which is the institution where I was already full-time in the Faculty since 2009. In 2020, I was promoted to the position of Associate Professor. 

My job at NDU is divided in three main tasks, but which are equally important - teaching, services and research. 

I teach practical (football, combat sports, swimming, physical preparation) and theoretical (coaching, history of sport) and courses for students who are studying a BA in Physical Education and Sports. 

In terms of services, my main role is to advise students on the courses they select during their BA, the field of study they choose after their BA (physiology, management, conditioning) and the path they hope to follow in their professional career. As a scholar, I am also supposed to serve the community. With international coaching diplomas in futsal and mixed martial arts, I was appointed to the coaching staff of both the Lebanese futsal and mixed martial arts national teams. I also act as a consultant for the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) and as a futsal instructor for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Concerning research, my focus is on sport governance, a field in which I have already published several papers. One of my other research projects is aimed at creating a world ranking of countries in elite sport, where the idea is to rank all countries by recognized sports: (www.worldsportranking.info).

My future research target is the identification of factors which lead to the success of a country in elite sport and how success in sport can help to develop a country's soft power.        

Which aspects of the FIFA Master course have helped you most in your career?

The FIFA Master provided me with a unique experience that helped me better understand the functioning of the different stakeholders (International Sport Federations, National Sport Governing Bodies, National Sport Federations, Sport Associations) in the international sport movement. In addition to this, with the different nationalities (15) that took part in my edition, I was able to learn a lot about different cultures from around the world. This helped to prepare me to perform better in all the international sports projects that I have since undertaken.    

What advice would you give to future students on the course?

I have two main pieces of advice. Firstly, try to learn as much as possible in every lecture you attend. Secondly, try to build your professional network from day one. Time flies during this breathtaking year!

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked No.1 Course in Europe 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 by the SportBusiness International global rankings.

Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).