UEFA education programme offers route into football industry
Thursday, February 28, 2019
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The UEFA Certificate in Football Management (UEFA CFM) is a must-have for anyone working in the European football industry. Now, for the first time, UEFA is offering this course to anyone involved in the game.
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Facilitating the professional management of football across Europe has been one of UEFA's abiding goals, yet actually finding a path to working in football administration can be a daunting proposition. For this reason, the newly formed UEFA Academy is opening its doors to anyone working in, or connected to, football to give them the opportunity to enrol on the UEFA Certificate in Football Management (UEFA CFM) programme.
The UEFA CFM has already produced hundreds of graduates, with more than 40 editions of the programme having taken place. However, this course, along with the majority of UEFA's other educational initiatives, has previously been available only to those working inside UEFA's 55 national associations.
"This open edition of the programme will enable a wider audience to enhance their knowledge of the football industry," said UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis.
"It will also allow them to advance professionally and acquire new management skills specific to the sport. Furthermore, this initiative will ensure an influx of new ideas and personnel into the industry to continue the development and overall running of football in Europe."
The programme is designed specifically to enable participants to gain the essential knowledge and management skills required to work within the industry. The course lasts nine months and contains a mix of e-learning and face-to-face seminars. It is the fruit of a partnership between the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration, based at the University of Lausanne, and leading UEFA experts.
The first open edition will start in August 2019 and end in May 2020. It will comprise six online modules and three seminars to be held at UEFA and famous London football venues. Each module or seminar will address a key area of football management, vital for those working in the game.
"There are a lot of people connected to, or interested in, football who did not have the opportunity to join the UEFA Certificate in Football Management because they do not work at a national association," said UEFA's head of national associations education and research Thomas Junod.
"The open edition of the CFM will give the opportunity to anyone connected with football to access this programme which can now be considered a reference in the football industry. This edition will be accessible to those still wanting to remain in full-time employment, as the course is specially adapted to suit their needs."
Successful CFM graduates will have acquired a comprehensive understanding of the industry from all angles, in addition to strengthening their managerial skills. They will also join a global network of more than 800 professionals operating in the football business.
"The UEFA CFM was a tremendous learning opportunity which helped give me a much greater understanding of the challenges football associations face from a strategic and operational level in the ever-evolving landscape of world football," said Andrew Gilchrist, regional manager with the Scottish Football Association (SFA).
Those embarking on the course will have access to unique UEFA materials such as UEFA Play, the UEFA Handbook on Football Association Management and the brand-new UEFA Toolbox in Football Management. Senior experts and UEFA staff will be involved in delivering the programme, creating a direct link between participants and governing body.
To apply for the CFM, visit the UEFA Academy website: UEFAacademy.com. The deadline for applications is 28 April 2019.