Sea Eagles take Sports Business Academy national through new online leadership course

The new offering builds on the success of the Sea Eagles Sports Business Academy, which launched in 2025 with a face-to-face dual diploma program delivered from the club’s Penn Centre of Excellence at Brookvale.

The expanded partnership will now see students from across Australia able to study the nationally recognised Diploma of Leadership and Management (BSB50420) online two nights per week, while still engaging directly with the Sea Eagles organisation through a series of exclusive digital touchpoints, industry projects and guest speaker experiences.

The online model has been designed to provide greater flexibility for students already working, coaching, volunteering or competing within sport, while still maintaining strong links to the professional sporting environment that underpins the Academy’s broader education model.

Sea Eagles Sports Business Academy Head of Education & Foundation Tim Gee said the expansion reflected the club’s commitment to creating accessible pathways into the sports industry.

“The response to our Sports Business Academy has been incredibly strong and we’re excited to now provide an option for people who may not be able to attend face-to-face delivery at Brookvale,” Gee said.

“This online leadership program allows students from anywhere in Australia to connect with the Sea Eagles brand and gain practical leadership and management capability through the lens of professional sport.”

The Diploma of Leadership and Management will be delivered online by TAFE Queensland educators and contextualised to the high-performance sporting industry, with students exploring leadership, communication, operational planning, emotional intelligence and team management through real-world sporting examples.

Manager of Academy of Sport at TAFE Queensland, Don Harley, said the move reflected the continued evolution of sport-based education models nationally.

“What we’ve seen over the past few years is that students are looking for flexibility, but they still want connection to industry and strong brand alignment,” Harley said.

“The Sea Eagles have built a really authentic education environment and this next phase of the partnership allows us to extend that opportunity to a much broader audience.”

The announcement follows significant momentum for TAFE Queensland’s Academy of Sport nationally, which now delivers programs in partnership with a range of professional sporting organisations across the NRL, AFL and cricket landscapes.

The online Diploma of Leadership and Management is scheduled to commence in the first week of August 2026.

Eligible Queensland-based participants studying with the Sea Eagles may also be able to access fully subsidised training through the Queensland Government’s Fee-Free TAFE initiative, subject to eligibility criteria and availability.