The FIFA Master is a unique 10-month sport (and not solely football...) Master programme, initiated by FIFA, coordinated by CIES, and taught by three prestigious European universities: De Montfort University (Leicester, UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Milan, IT) and Neuchatel University (Neuchatel, CH), in association with the Università della Svizzera italiana.
What is your current professional activity and your involvement in sport?
I am currently a student on the FIFA Master (10th edition 2009-2010). Previously I was a Marketing Consultant at the Eastern Cape Academy of Sport and a contract lecturer at NMMU.
Why did you choose to attend the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management at NMMU?
The course was offered, so-to-speak "right on my doorstep" and I was excited by its content, having studied and worked at NMMU. I was also impressed by the facilitators and their wealth of experience in their respective subject areas.
What were your expectations before the start of the course? and… were they met?
I had done a university qualification in sport management previously. However, I really wanted to get more knowledge in the field of sport law and interact with sport administrators in South Africa. My expectations were met and surpassed - I have made invaluable contacts in South African sport and am more familiar with the various legislation and legal principles within sport management.
What would you say are the key strengths of the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management?
The course ably links theory and practice while allowing students to share their personal experiences in sport management. I also enjoyed the informative lectures from the facilitators and the diverse guest speakers who reinforced the principles that we were taught in class.
What benefits (on a personal and/or professional level) did you gain from attending the course?
I proceeded to enroll for the FIFA Master course a year after I had completed the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management. It had been a dream of mine to attend the FIFA Master. My experiences and success in the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management motivated me to apply.
What is your best memory/highlight of the course?
The visit to the Nelson Mandela Bay 2010 Stadium during its construction was most significant for me. It will be a special moment when the first match takes place there for the 2010 FIFA World Cup - it is a beautiful stadium and a symbol of South Africa's commitment to providing a major spectacle for the world's biggest sport event.
Would you recommend the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management? Why?
I would definitely recommend the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management and any of the CIES-initiated academic programs. The FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management is a unique course which promotes good management principles while recognizing the distinctive environment within the nation in which the course is offered.
CIES (International Centre for Sports Studies), located in Neuchatel, is a private Swiss foundation, affiliated with the University of Neuchatel and created in 1995 by FIFA (under the impetus of its current president, Mr. Joseph S. Blatter), the University of Neuchatel, and the City and Canton of Neuchatel.
CIES specialises in three specific domains: law, sociology and economy of sport, with a view to bring together the sporting and the academic worlds. Privileging a pluri-disciplinary approach, CIES provides a wide range of research, education and consultancy services.