Grassroots or global, CQU backing sport to empower and connect
From grassroots events to global champions, CQUniversity has a long history of nurturing sport.
Now the institution is stepping into a new sporting arena, with an initiative to grow sporting careers, achievements and research-informed ways to better compete and connect.
CQUniversity has appointed Professor Fabio Serpiello as its inaugural Director of Sport Strategy, to align and drive new study pathways, partnerships and projects in Australia, focused on sport, exercise and physical activity.
The role will also find new opportunities to showcase and share CQUniversity’s existing strengths, including Exercise and Sport Sciences courses, and health and wellbeing research with organisations like the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and National Rugby League (NRL).
CQUniversity’s national footprint, with campuses in four states and across central, north and south-east Queensland, also offers opportunities for both engagement in regional and Indigenous communities, and partnerships with national franchises and governing bodies.
“CQU is uniquely placed to connect with athletes, fans and communities at every level of sport in Australia,” Prof Serpiello said.
The Queensland focus for the new role will be supporting regional and Indigenous communities, while CQU's national footprint will allow connections with larger sporting franchises, professional governing bodies, and fans and potential students on a large scale.
“CQU is established and active in many communities, with a proven track-record of changing lives - creating opportunities that local people wouldn’t otherwise have,” Prof Serpiello explained.
“Sport can also change lives – and through our sporting connections, CQU is seizing an opportunity to transform more lives, and more communities, by growing engagement through sport.
“Especially as we approach major sporting events like the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics, it’s a crucial time for capitalising on interest in sports, exercise and physical activity, and empowering competitors and fans to maximise the benefits they get from our national pastime.”
A lifelong football fan and competitor, Prof Serpiello actually moved to Australia from his hometown of Milan, Italy, because of Australia’s unique love affair with sport.
“I was doing my Master’s in sports science at a time when the AIS was publishing a lot of really incredible, innovative research to improve how its athletes competed – and I realised that Australia was the best country to research sport, where sport is left, front and centre!” he said.
Fifteen years later, living in Melbourne and a dad of young sporty kids, Prof Serpiello says big sporting achievements like the success of the Matildas highlighted Australia’s growth potential for how we all get involved in sport, and drive benefits like inclusion, equality and social justice.
“Sport is a reason to gather and is a great equaliser across Australian society – people from all walks of life can be passionate about sport, can play sport - and that offers huge potential for making us more healthy and happier, and better humans to each other,” he said.
Prior to joining CQUniversity Prof Serpiello was Director of Sport Innovation at Victoria University, and will now lead the development of CQUniversity’s Sport Strategy.
He’s also the founder of comparesportstech.com, a free consumer service that supports human performance innovation, and a board member of Victorian sport participation peak body Vicsport.
CQUniversity Dean of the School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Professor Andy Stewart welcomed Prof Serpiello’s diverse experience.
“CQUniversity is already benefitting from Fabio’s enthusiasm and his entrepreneurial approach, and I’m excited to see the strategy he develops, and the new ideas and projects ahead,” Prof Stewart said.
“Sport, and how CQUniversity supports sport, sits across our strategy pillars of People, Partnerships and Planet, and is vital to how we pursue United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals such as Good Health and Wellbeing, Gender Equality and Justice, Peace and Strong Institutions.”
CQUniversity academics and educators are already involved in a broad range of sport development initiatives, across disciplines including psychology, sleep science, sporting event legacy, fitness and sport in pregnancy and post-partum, athlete high performance, event management, physiotherapy, podiatry, injury prevention and public health.
Community-connected research projects like 10,000 Steps and the U-Beach accessibility initiative are also supporting and inspiring hundreds of thousands of Australians to get active and engaged with exercise, health and wellbeing.
