2014 Press Releases
Back of net for sports academic
Dr Fiona Chambers is leading the field in promoting sport’s global role in healthy living, following her appointment to the board of directors of an internationally recognised sporting body.
Dr Fiona Chambers, who is Director of Sports Studies and Physical Education at UCC and is based in Kinsale, Co. Cork has just been appointed for a four year term to the Board of Directors of the 'Association Internationale des Ecole Superieures d'Education Physique' (AIESEP) (The International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education), located in Liege, Belgium.
Dr Chambers, the first UCC academic to receive this accolade, is now part of the close-knit AIESEP Board of Directors team, made up of colleagues from 14 different countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, China, Germany and the United States.
“Given the plethora of research that continues to position sport, physical education and physical activity as key to furthering our health and wellbeing, I am delighted to be appointed. This international body sets out to shape and drive a research-led conversation to ensure we all thrive through engagement in sport, physical education and physical activity”, said Chambers.
AIESEP has an international remit in sport, physical education and physical activity research set out under a number of pillars, the most visible perhaps its role as a go-to point for government and international institutions keen to harness the input of higher education in sport and physical activity policy. Other areas include encouraging the development of future specialists and researchers in the area, engaging in scientific research, as well as facilitating scientific meetings and information sharing across the international community.
Dr. Chambers is a leader in the sport pedagogy field at European level, too. She is currently the Link Convener for the European Educational Research Association Network - Research in Sport Pedagogy.
Dr. Chambers also spearheads physical activity promotion on the home front. In 2012, she co-founded All Island All Active with Professor Deirdre Brennan, University of Ulster, the first all-island enabling platform which uses knowledge exchange across sectors to increase physical activity levels on the island of Ireland.
Currently, Brennan and Chambers are bringing the ‘Sport for Life-All Island’ project across the island alongside colleagues from DCU and others. Sport for Life is an award-winning venture, designed by the Ulster Sports Academy and is recognised by the World Health Organisation and the 2012 Olympic Inspire Awards. Launched in October 2013, it encourages primary school children to participate in physical activity, targeting over 200 schools and 4,000 children in low socio-economic areas across the four provinces of Ireland.