Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad has revealed that the University of Bahrain is to launch a Mixed Martial Arts course in February of 2016. H.H. Sheikh Khalid expressed that the University of Bahrain is a good example of a professional educational environment working to elevate its output. As the First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of the Bahrain Athletics Association, H.H. Sheikh Khalid paid tribute to the university’s efforts to implement national goals for the sport of MMA in Bahrain. H.H. Sheikh Khalid had met with the President of the Bahrain University to discuss a strategic partnership for development of MMA both academically and practically, and furthermore, to review the “American experience” that sees university amateur wrestling programs resulting in high levels of participation and achievement in the sport. A reception was held for university leaders and a number of students. H.H. Sheikh Khalid stated that that Bahrain’s youth form the main driver for community development in the Kingdom with their strong capacity for creative achievement. He paid credit to the role of the Students’ Council, clubs and societies at the University of Bahrain, which have supported the translation of mixed martial arts for the university environment with a focus on its academic aspects. The University of Bahrain is now the third higher education establishment this year to develop an MMA course. In October, an MMA coaching degree at the University of Wolverhampton was launched in the UK, and this was followed in December by the AUL University in Lebanon also introducing an MMA course, lead by IMMAF board member Wissam Abi Nader. The Charles University in Prague already runs both bachelor and masters degree courses in MMA Coaching, as well as championing sports science research projects in the field.]]>
