Lincoln and APFA sign sport agreement with Delhi Uni

Media Release
18 October 2012
- for immediate release

Lincoln University and the Asia Pacific Football Academy sign high performance sport agreement with Delhi University

A memorandum of understanding has today been signed between Delhi University, India and Lincoln University/Asia Pacific Football Academy (APFA).

“This ‘educational partnership agreement’ opens the door for collaboration between the two universities in the areas of sport and sports science – in particular, in partnership with the Asia Pacific Football Academy, which is based on Lincoln University’s campus,” says Assistant Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University, Stefanie Rixecker.

“The agreement outlines several areas of potential exchange including player and coach training programmes; joint academic or research projects for postgraduate or doctoral students; and exchange visits for students and staff. The first programme of activity is scheduled to take place in the next few months and will be run by the Asia Pacific Football Academy for football players and coaches.”

Delhi University has over 40 football (soccer) teams and strongly supports this rapidly growing sport in India. The unique partnership between the Asia Pacific Football Academy and Lincoln University makes Lincoln an ideal destination for Delhi University’s top sports performers to receive intensive, tailored training.

“The first team to head this way will be Delhi University’s top women’s team. 18 players plus high performance coaching staff will visit APFA later this year or in early 2013 for three weeks of training, testing, sports science and conditioning. This kind of whole-team training isn’t new to the Academy but the opportunity to work with an overseas university with such a depth of football talent means we hope to see several of their teams coming through the system – and Delhi University should see significant performance improvements as a result,” says Andy Smith, Managing Director, APFA.

The agreement was signed on behalf of Lincoln University and the Asia Pacific Football Academy by Penny Fenwick, Chief Executive of Education New Zealand, who has travelled to India with the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Hon Steven Joyce. The delegation is visiting India specifically to lift New Zealand’s profile as a destination for international students and to support New Zealand’s tertiary institutions and companies seeking to grow their business in the Indian market.

“There are many potential areas of collaboration between Lincoln University – as New Zealand’s specialist land-based university – and Indian tertiary institutions, and we already have many Indian students on campus studying a range of subjects from commerce to agricultural science, at postgraduate and undergraduate level. I speak on behalf of Lincoln University and the Asia Pacific Football Academy in saying we are delighted to be entering into an agreement with Delhi University at this time,” adds Stefanie Rixecker.

Ends
About Lincoln University

Lincoln University is New Zealand’s specialist land-based university. The land-based sciences and related disciplinary areas comprise the majority of Lincoln University’s core business, differentiating it and confirming its unique position within the university sector.

For the University, ‘land-based’ goes far beyond just the land itself and encompasses how we use the land for food, recreation, commerce and so on. It includes looking after the land (eg soil science, conservation, ecology, and sustainability) as well as how we use the land (eg sport and recreation, farming, commerce, tourism, and IT).

Through the retention and growth of teaching, vocational training, research, science and scholarship, Lincoln University makes significant contributions to the economic, social and cultural requirements for an expanding land-based economy that is driven by export and trade opportunities, and restricted by environmental constraints and protection requirements.

Lincoln University will continue to lead and support future growth and transformation of New Zealand’s land, people and economy.

About The Asia Pacific Football Academy

The Asia Pacific Football Academy (APFA) is a residential football (soccer) programme - operating in association with Chelsea Football Club - which focuses on the intensive individual development of young players from various countries and combines their sports development with their academic studies. The Academy is located on the Lincoln University campus and is a party to the agreement with Delhi University.

APFA offers programmes for both boys and girls and selected players can choose either the full-time residential football plus school/University programmes or can combine short-term academic study (such as English Language courses at Lincoln University) with daily football training at APFA’s professional-level facilities.
APFA is particularly focused on player pathways, and since full-time operations commenced at the academy in 2010, five players have graduated from APFA to join professional club academies in Europe and the USA. Other graduates have gone on to US University scholarships or overseas elite development programmes and in 2011, five APFA scholars represented their country at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Mexico.

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