ABQ joins the Southampton Football Club International Academy Partner Programme
Southampton Football Club is delighted to welcome the ABQ Education Group to its portfolio of International Academy Partners, marking the club’s first partnership in the Sultanate of Oman.
The partnership will see Southampton working with ABQ’s three international schools: ABQ Azzan Bin Qais; ABQ Seeb and ABQ Sohar over the next three years to support the schools’ football development programmes, as well as boost their educational objectives on and off the pitch.
ABQ Education Group Chairman, Al Zubair Muhammad Al Zubair said: “Through its innovative teaching methods, ABQ has always strove to be the best academic schools in Oman.
"Along with being the leader in international school education, we also aim to be the frontrunner in school sports and our partnership with Southampton FC will help us to achieve this goal. I am extremely pleased with this partnership and look forward to many opportunities for our students and outstanding sports achievements from our schools.”
Mark Abrahams, Director of Business & Community Development commented: “The Southampton Way has the development of young people at its core which aligns with ABQ’s values and aspirations for their students. ABQ is the largest international school operator in Oman and their unique operator model, The ABQ Way, has developed a consistent standard for all academic and non-academic activities in each of their international schools which is in line with our own approach. We are looking forward to working in Oman for the first time, and especially with the ABQ staff, students, and parents in the years to come.”
The partnership will see a range of exciting opportunities for the ABQ community to engage with Southampton FC’s Coach and Player Development Programme. Areas of focus include access to the SFC Curriculum, the online resource library, and Coach Education/Player Development Webinars. Southampton FC Academy staff will also visit Oman each year to work with the coaches and players, with opportunities for both staff and students to visit Southampton through SFC’s Player Development Tour Programme.
ABQ Education Group Chief Executive Office, Humayun Kabir added: “A healthy balance of academics and extracurricular clubs is key to a successful learning experience and this partnership offers ample opportunities for personal development. Southampton FC has a proven track record of developing players from beginners to elite level. This initiative echoes our commitment to provide the well-rounded education for our students to flourish after school.”
Nibras Al Mljawi, an ABQ school parent commented: “The unique opportunity for the children to experience the benefits of an elite club such as Southampton FC in Oman demonstrates ABQ’s commitment to the students. This is a wonderful initiative.”
Southampton FC has a growing portfolio of International Academy partners which supports like-minded Clubs and schools with their ambitions on and off the pitch. For further details on the ABQ partnership or for enquiries contact [email protected].
