Rising Pune Supergiants partners with Australia's Deakin University for 2017 season

Deakin University, Australia, signed an agreement recently with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisee Rising Pune Supergiants to be the team's official sports management university partner for the 2017 season.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations was signed by Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander and Rising Pune Supergiants CEO Raghu Iyer at Deakin University's Melbourne campus.

Under the agreement, the Supergiants will work closely with the university to conduct research in areas of sports management and marketing, as well as to promote sports education in the region. In turn, the Supergiants will provide a unique opportunity for Deakin student interns to work with the team during the IPL season, getting valuable hands-on experience in the management and marketing of a professional club.

The research conducted with the Supergiants will also be incorporated into Deakin's industry-leading sports management curriculum. Deakin's Master of Sport Management is currently ranked among the top 10 programs worldwide and number one in Australia by Sport Business International.

Speaking of the agreement, Iyer said, "The Rising Pune Supergiants are committed to nurturing and promoting promising Indian talent through such partnerships. We share Deakin University's strategic objectives of widening access to education and building opportunities in new areas, like sports, to make a difference in the communities we serve."

Prof den Hollander praised the partnership as furthering Deakin's commitment to India and as an excellent opportunity for the University to improve its already strong sport management programmes. He said, "For over two decades, Deakin has worked tirelessly in India to expand opportunities for Indian students and to forge productive research partnerships across a wide range of areas - from nanotechnology and healthcare to biofuels and business."

Further he added, "Deakin's partnership with the Supergiants is a key development in the University's relationship with India, and a powerful opportunity for us to bring our sport management expertise to a professional organisation already operating at the highest levels. We look forward to contributing to the success of the Supergiants, and to receiving their valuable assistance in contributing both to the professional development of Deakin students and the ongoing improvement of the Deakin sport management curriculum."

Beyond the direct benefits that the agreement will bring to both partners, Deakin and the Supergiants will also work to promote sports education in India generally through research and master classes in critical areas of sports like marketing, branding, sponsorships, development, fan engagement and player performance analysis.