Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • International sport business
  • Strategic management
  • Strategic marketing
  • Sport business insights

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Hans Westerbeek

Hans Westerbeek is Professor of International Sport Business and Head of the Sport Business Insights Group, and came to VU 10 years ago as the founding Director of the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL) (now Institute for Health & Sport). He then took on the role of Dean of the College of Sport and Exercise Science followed by heading up the VU-wide sport strategy as Pro-Vice Chancellor Sport.

He is a member of the team at Track – VU’s human performance tracking business – and also holds Professorial appointments at the Free University of Brussels, the Real Madrid Graduate School and the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, China.

Hans has written 25 books and in excess of 200 refereed and popular scientific articles. He is frequently contributing to the media, and holds various expert appointments around the world including positions with the Dutch Sports Council in the Netherlands, with fanbase marketing company SportsCloud International and with the Ingesport Group in Spain.

Qualifications

  • GAICD (Australian Institute of Company Directors), 2021
  • Advanced Management Program (Harvard), 2017
  • PhD International Marketing (Deakin University), Australia, 2001
  • MBA (Deakin University), Australia, 1997
  • MSc Human Movement (University of Groningen), The Netherlands, 1991

Key publications

Year Citation
2015 Bosscher, V. D., Shibil, S., Westerbeek, H., & Bottenburg, M. V. (150814). Successful Elite Sport Policies: An international comparison of the Sports Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS 2.0) in 15 nations (1). Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer Sports.
2004 Stewart, B., Nicholson, M., Smith, A., & Westerbeek, H. (041028). Australian sport - better by design?: The evolution of Australian sport policy.

doi: 10.4324/9780203462928

Year Citation
2020 Chmait, N., Robertson, S., Westerbeek, H., Eime, R., Sellitto, C., & Reid, M. (200401). Tennis superstars: The relationship between star status and demand for tickets. Sport Management Review, 23(2), (330-347).

doi: 10.1016/j.smr.2019.03.006

2017 Eime, R. M., Harvey, J., Charity, M. J., Casey, M., Westerbeek, H., & Payne, W. R. (170601). The relationship of sport participation to provision of sports facilities and socioeconomic status: a geographical analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 41(3), (248-255).

doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12647

2016 Jenkin, C. R., Eime, R. M., Westerbeek, H., O Sullivan, G., & van, Uffelen. (161001). Are they worth their weight in gold ? Sport for older adults: benefits and barriers of their participation for sporting organisations. International Journal of Sport Policy, 8(4), (663-680).

doi: 10.1080/19406940.2016.1220410

2010 Spaaij, R., & Westerbeek, H. (101101). Sport business and social capital: A contradiction in terms?. Sport in Society, 13(9), (1356-1373).

doi: 10.1080/17430437.2010.510674

2009 Westerbeek, H. M. (090801). The Amsterdam olympic games of 1928 and 2028: Will city heritage inform legacy intent?. Sport in Society, 12(6), (776-791).

doi: 10.1080/17430430902944258

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Report on literature review and document analysis
From: Australian Sports Foundation Limited
Other investigators: Aspr Rochelle Joyce, Miss Aurelie Pankowiak
For period: 2022-2022
Not disclosed
Sport Participation Research Project
From: VicHealth
Other investigators: Aspr Rochelle Joyce, Miss Aurelie Pankowiak, Ms Melanie Charity
For period: 2022-2025
$340,000

A research study in sports clubs’ volunteer capacity to drive women and girls’ participation in community sport
From: Australian Football League
Other investigators: Aspr Rochelle Joyce, Miss Aurelie Pankowiak
For period: 2021-2022
Not disclosed
Sports-clubs volunteer capacity to drive community-sport VU Contact
From: Change our Game Research Grant Program
Other investigators: Aspr Rochelle Joyce, Miss Aurelie Pankowiak
For period: 2021-2022
$24,720

Sport participation benchmarking: Activate 2020-2030 proposal
From: City of Ballarat, Cricket Victoria
Other investigators: Miss Aurelie Pankowiak, Aspr Rochelle Joyce
For period: 2020-2024
Not disclosed
How does access to playing traditionally male-dominated sports affect women and girls' participation in sport?
From: Department of Jobs, Precincts & Regions
Other investigators: Ms Melanie Charity, Aspr Rochelle Joyce
For period: 2020-2021
$24,567
Cricket Vic - Retention Study
From: Cricket Victoria
Other investigators: Ms Melanie Charity, Aspr Rochelle Joyce
For period: 2020-2020
Not disclosed

Sport Participation Research Project 2019-21
From: VicHealth
Other investigators: Aspr Rochelle Joyce, Ms Melanie Charity
For period: 2019-2021
Not disclosed
Building Sport Knowledge Infrastructure in Kerala
From: Government of Kerala
Other investigators: Aspr Camilla Brockett, Mr Michael Linley
For period: 2019-2020
Not disclosed

Sport Business Intelligence: A consumer and business decision-making model for sport.
From: ISEAL, Tennis Australia
Other investigators: Dr Nader Chmait, Aspr Rochelle Joyce, Aspr Camilla Brockett
For period: 2017-2020
$182,405

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Principal supervisor
1 PhD Associate supervisor
2 PhD by Publication Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Principal supervisor
PhD (1) Associate supervisor
PhD by Publication (2) Principal supervisor

Other supervision of research students

2 Masters by Research students at La Trobe University, Principal Supervisor. 2 PhD students at the Free University of Brussels, Belgium, Associate Supervisor.

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jul 2016 - Present
Pro-Vice Chancellor (Institutional Sport Strategy)
Victoria University
Jan 2010 - Aug 2019
Professor of International Sport Business, Head of Sport Business Insights Group
Victoria University
Jan 2013 - Nov 2017
Dean, College of Sport and Exercise Science
Victoria University
Feb 2010 - Jan 2013
Founding Director of the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL)
Victoria University
Jan 2010 - Aug 2019
Chair of Sport Management
Free University of Brussels (Belgium)
Sep 2014 - Aug 2019
Visiting Professor
Real Madrid Graduate School, European University of Madrid in Spain
Jun 2016 - Aug 2019
Visiting Professor
Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) in Beijing, China
Show more academic roles
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jul 2016 -
Present
Pro-Vice Chancellor (Institutional Sport Strategy)
Victoria University
Jan 2010 -
Aug 2019
Professor of International Sport Business, Head of Sport Business Insights Group
Victoria University
Jan 2013 -
Nov 2017
Dean, College of Sport and Exercise Science
Victoria University
Feb 2010 -
Jan 2013
Founding Director of the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL)
Victoria University
Jan 2010 -
Aug 2019
Chair of Sport Management
Free University of Brussels (Belgium)
Sep 2014 -
Aug 2019
Visiting Professor
Real Madrid Graduate School, European University of Madrid in Spain
Jun 2016 -
Aug 2019
Visiting Professor
Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) in Beijing, China
Show more academic roles

Key industry, community & government roles

Dates Role Department/Organisation
Jan 2003 - Aug 2005
Past President and Founding Board member
Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand
Jan 2010 - Oct 2014
Founding Board member and Director
Australian Football League (AFL) Europe
May 2019 - Aug 2019
Strategic Advisor
SportsCloud, The Netherlands
Aug 2018 - Aug 2019
Committee member (National Event Strategy)
Dutch Sports Council (NLSportraad)
Feb 2019 - Aug 2019
Member Strategic Advisory Board
Ingesport (Spain)
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jan 2003 - Aug 2005
Past President and Founding Board member
Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand
Jan 2010 - Oct 2014
Founding Board member and Director
Australian Football League (AFL) Europe
May 2019 - Aug 2019
Strategic Advisor
SportsCloud, The Netherlands
Aug 2018 - Aug 2019
Committee member (National Event Strategy)
Dutch Sports Council (NLSportraad)
Feb 2019 - Aug 2019
Member Strategic Advisory Board
Ingesport (Spain)

Awards

Year Award
2010

Honorary Life Membership of the Alumni Sport Management Society for contributions to the field of sport management. - Hanze University of Applied Science in the Netherlands.

2005

Exceptional Contributions Award - Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in Australia

2006

Henry Fong Award for contributions to Global Citizenship - International Network of Universities

2005

Recognition of Exemplary Service for serving as Vice President (2002) and President (2003-2005) - Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand

Show more awards

Professional memberships

  • Club Melbourne Ambassador, Club Melbourne

Media appearances

27th July 2019

UN to use sport for social change

Interviewed on Sky News Australia (TV), on the future of sport business.

24th July 2019

Winds of change starting to favour Games athletes

Opinion piece in the Herald Sun, Westerbeek, H.M. (2019). Winds of change starting to favour Games athletes.

10th December 2018

Bold school approach could strike new Aussie gold

Opinion piece in the Herald Sun, Westerbeek, H.M. (2018). Bold school approach could strike new Aussie gold.

02nd August 2018

Launch of the National Sport Plan

Interview by Andy Maher from SEN Sports Radio, on a range of matters raised and part of the launch of the National Sport Plan and the Review into the integrity of sport.

01st August 2018

A review into sports integrity raises offshore gambling concerns

Interview by Eleanor Whitehead from ABC Radio National/PM, on the launch of the National Sport Plan and the Review into the integrity of sport.

13th July 2018

National Sport Integrity Forum

Interview by Libby Gorr from ABC Breakfast Radio, on a wide range of sport integrity matters, in anticipation of the National Sport Integrity Forum.

27th June 2018

Diving is just like ball tampering, so don’t let World Cup cheats prosper

Opinion piece on Newscorp sites and in Herald Sun, Westerbeek, H.M. (2018). Don’t let Worldcup cheats prosper, at all Newscorp online sites

16th June 2018

Three-nation North American bid wins 2026 World Cup

Interview by Tara Cosoleto from SBS Radio, on the three nation north American winning bid for the 2026 World Cup.

24th May 2018

Parents fury: McDonalds food vouchers awarded to junior athletes

Interview by Peter Rolfe from the Herald Sun newspaper on the issue of junk food company McDonalds' reward vouchers in junior sport.

07th May 2018

Application of facial recognition technology to determine competitive emotions in tennis players.

Interview by Dutch journalist for the national news program ‘Nieuwsuur’ (television), on the application of facial recognition technology to determine competitive emotions in tennis players.

18th January 2016

The match fixing scandal in world tennis

Interview by Channel News Asia (TV), Singapore, on the match fixing scandal in world tennis, the interview was broadcast live on the 18th of January 2016.

22nd July 2015

FIFA Reforms

Interview by Zing Leang from China Radio International (Beijing, China), on the FIFA corruption scandal.