David Hassan

David Hassan (born 16 November 1972, in Derry, Northern Ireland) is an academic, writer, and associate dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences (Global Engagement) at Ulster University. He is also provost of the university's Belfast campus. He has been involved in collaborative work with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

Early life and education

A native of Feeny, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland and a former pupil of St Columb's College, Derry, Hassan obtained a first class Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997, a Master of Science degree in 1998 and the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 2001. His thesis, examining the relationship between sport and nationalism in Ireland, was supervised by the political scientist Professor Alan Bairner and drawn from research work he conducted during the late 1990s when sport in Northern Ireland was heavily infiltrated by political influences.

Academic career In 2006, Hassan was awarded a Distinguished Research Fellowship by the University of Ulster. His views on sport governance have included observations on the efficacy of the sporting model employed by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). In August 2012, he was a speaker at an event held in the Oxford University Club.

Hassan is a co-director of the Special Olympics Regional Research Collaborating Centre for Europe-Eurasia, which was opened at Ulster University's Jordanstown campus in April 2011. He is also a member of the European Federation of Adapted Physical Activity and delivered an address at its conference in May 2012 in the Republic of Ireland.

As of 2015, Hassan was academic editor of the sports academic journal "Sport in Society", and editor of the Foundations in Sport Management series by the academic publishers Routledge. Also in 2015, he was appointed to a strategic committee, 'Towards 150', of the GAA.

Sports

A member of his local GAA club, St. Mary's GAC, Banagher, Hassan was part of the Derry senior football management team as of 2013. He has spoken publicly on GAA governance and management.