Félix Houphouët-Boigny University (UFHB) has reached a historic milestone in the Ivorian academic and sporting landscape. On Thursday, May 7, 2026, the Institute for Research and Study in Sport and Development (IRSD) officially opened its doors. The objective is clear: to transform sports into a true engine of economic growth and scientific performance.

A bridge between science and the field

The launch ceremony, which took place in amphitheater A of UFHB, brought together two leading figures of the government: Professor Adama Diawara (Higher Education and Scientific Research) and Adjé Silas Metch (Sports).

For Minister Diawara, the IRSD addresses an urgent need: to professionalize a discipline that has become a global industry. The approach is intended to be cross-cutting, combining:

1. Biosciences and Medicine
2. Humanities and Management
3. Data analysis

From "Spectator Sport" to "Academic Sport"

The Minister of Sports, Adjé Silas Metch, welcomed this transition towards cutting-edge expertise. According to him, the IRSD will allow Côte d'Ivoire to enter the era of "scientific sport" .

“This institute will not be an abstract laboratory, but a tool at the service of athletes, coaches, and federations.” — Adjé Silas Metch

The stated ambition is to position Ivory Coast as the regional hub for sports research in Africa, based on key areas such as biomechanics, nutrition and performance psychology.

A multidisciplinary center of excellence

Under the leadership of Professor Ballo Zié , President of UFHB, IRSD defines itself as a center of excellence dedicated to training the leaders of tomorrow. Professor Nassa Désiré , Director of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (UFR SHS), explained that the institute will utilize the social sciences (sociology, geography, anthropology) to analyze the socio-cultural issues of sport.

Strategic Partners of the IRSD

FIF (Ivorian Football Federation)

INJS (National Institute of Youth and Sports)

CIES (International Centre for Sports Studies - Switzerland)

This new institute marks the Ivorian state's desire to no longer be satisfied with results on the ground, but to control the entire value chain of sport through knowledge.