Dr Andre Roca, Associate Professor of Skill Acquisition at St Mary’s University, London recently delivered a keynote lecture to Beijing Sport University as part of their International Experts Programme.
Andre presented his talk, From Drills to Decisions: Effective Practice Design in Football, to undergraduate and postgraduate students specialising in football coaching and sport training, along with academic staff. The session focused on how coaches can design practice environments that better support decision‑making and game‑relevant learning.
The lecture was followed by a Q&A exploring differences in coaching cultures between Asia and the Western world, and how evidence‑based practice design can be adapted across diverse football development systems.
Reflecting on the event, Andre said: “I really enjoyed speaking with the students and staff at Beijing Sport University. The discussion was engaging throughout, and it was interesting to hear different perspectives on coaching and player development in China.”
Beijing Sport University has been ranked as one of the top Public universities in Beijing, China (Mainland), and ranks number 2 in the 2026 Ranking of Chinese Sport Science Universities.
Andre’s contribution forms part of ongoing international engagement within the Faculty of Sport, Technology and Health Sciences, highlighting the collaborative work St Mary’s staff continue to undertake with leading institutions around the world.
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