Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) recently signed a Collaboration Agreement with Spanish professional football league LALIGA to offer students in its new Master of Professional Management in Global Sports Business a premier overseas immersion experience in Spain. This agreement deepens the partnership between the two parties and marks a new milestone in their collaboration on sports talent development and international exchange.
Under this partnership, LALIGA Business School, the educational department of LALIGA, will curate a two-week specialised executive programme, titled “LALIGA Week”, for students in the Master of Professional Management in Global Sports Business programme. Participants will have the opportunity to travel to Spanish cities Madrid, Seville and Barcelona for an intensive study tour. They will visit leading sports and entertainment organisations, attend exclusive sports events, and engage with senior leaders from LALIGA and its member clubs. Upon successful completion of the programme, the students will earn academic credits towards their HKMU master's degree and receive two certificates from LALIGA Business School in “Sports Marketing and Communication” and “Sponsorship and Strategic Alliances”.
The Agreement was signed by Prof. Alan Au Kai-ming, Vice President (Strategic Initiatives) of HKMU, and Mr Sergi Torrents, Managing Director of LALIGA Greater China. Prof. Au remarked that this timely collaboration complements the new master's programme, adding, “We are deeply grateful for LALIGA's steadfast support over the years, which is essential to our goal of delivering practice-oriented education with tangible, real-world impact.”
Mr Torrents remarked that this collaboration demonstrates LALIGA's long-term commitment to talent development and education. “We are proud to collaborate with HKMU, a university with a growing academic reputation and a clear applied focus, to deliver a programme that combines academic excellence with the practical expertise of LALIGA and our clubs. Together, we aim to equip the next generation of sports business professionals with the strategic vision and industry insight required to drive the sector forward,” he added.
The newly launched HKMU Master of Professional Management in Global Sports Business will commence in the 2026/27 academic year and is now open for applications.
Designed to cultivate sports management professionals with strategic global vision, the one-year full-time, face-to-face programme covers core areas such as the sports digital economy, industry revenue, business management and strategic sports marketing, while integrating industry visits and practical business applications to strengthen students' practical capabilities to navigate the global sports market.
Since 2020, HKMU's Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration has collaborated with LALIGA through industry seminars, exchange activities and study tours, deepening students' understanding of global sports business dynamics and enriching their learning experience.