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 studying for an M.S. in Sport Management at the University of Worcester, UK. I continue to be involved with the running of my company Aludar Sports albeit on a part time basis.
Why did you choose to attend the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management at NMMU?
I was already involved in the sporting industry but with a financial and accounting background, I needed to back my involvement in sport management with a good quality sport qualification from a reputable institution.
What were your expecta1tions before the start of the course? And were they met?
To come to grips with the intricacies of the sporting industry, from a theoretical point of view and to supplement my practical involvement in the business..
My expectations were exceeded as, over and above the great theoretical content of the course, we were blessed with guest speakers who gave a great insight into the industry both from a South African and an international context.
What would you say are the key strengths of the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management?
The content is great and the international network provided by CIES and the fact that the program has the backing of FIFA. The vast array of outstanding guest speakers adds the cherry to the icing.
What benefits (on a personal and/or professional level) did you gain from attending the course?
I met great people with most of whom I am still in contact. I learnt, in a year, what might have taken a lifetime to learn otherwise. Got motivated to pursue even higher qualifications in the field of sport management and coaching.
What is your best memory/highlight of the course?
By a long way the presentation by Judge Mervin King.
Would you recommend the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management? Why?
Absolutely!. The course changed my life for the better. If I had not taken the decision to enroll, I might not have qualified for the course I am currently doing, which I am enjoying immensely, largely due to the grounding I got in the FIFA/CIES Certificate in Sport Management.
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.