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 made you decide to enroll for this course?
As a teacher and my involvement in higher level soccer development initiatives and professional soccer I was always driven to further my knowledge with regard to sport management by obtaining a credible qualification. CIES/NMMU/FIFA presented this ideal opportunity to achieve that through this course presented in block weeks. I was also interested in equipping myself with the necessary skills to be in a position to pursue career opportunities in sport beyond teaching.
What were your expectations from this program sport management?
To be confronted with “real” issues of managing sport organizations. Issues like structure within sports organizations, sponsorship strategies, contracts for athletes, setting and managing budgets. To finally be in a position to ascertain my own level of competence and growth reflected in my involvement in sports organizations.
How have you benefited from this training in sport management?
For me the benefit is in lending credibility and structure for my prior learning of management strategies through experience. This course takes into account your/my experience and is fine tuning or adding value to that. I have recently (May 2008) resigned from teaching and started a career as a sport manager at the NMMU. This course is a major confidence builder as this “real involvement” through the course design directly benefits me in my new career in sport.
What is your overall impression of the course and would you recommend that others should enroll for it?
I am “in love” with this course as the “real issues” are excellently captured by the guest lecturers that actually run big or professional organizations. This gives a practical insight into sports businesses. I would definitely recommend this to all level sport administrators as the benefit is REAL and DIRECT. Well done Vernon and your team.
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.