Applications welcome for sport governance master
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
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The second edition of the Executive Master in European Sport Governance (MESGO) begins later this year and applications are being invited from experienced managers and executives.
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Applications are being invited for the second edition of an innovative study programme which focuses on sports governance and which has UEFA's full support.
The Executive Master in European Sport Governance (MESGO) is open to experienced managers and executives working in international, European and national sports federations; clubs, leagues and trade unions; European institutions and governments; and partners of sports organisations, such as media or sponsors.
The programme has been pioneered by five renowned universities, and comprises nine one-week sessions over a period of 18 months, starting in September 2012. The Europe-wide programme features courses in Paris, Brussels, London, Barcelona, Mainz/Frankfurt, Geneva/Lyon/Lausanne and New York. Most of the days take place at the headquarters of prestigious sports organisations.
In recent times, professional sport has been subject to dramatic changes, related to the commercial development of competitions, the ongoing development of European political and economic institutions, and a wide variety of social issues. These have all called traditional forms of governance into question as the number of involved stakeholders increases.
As a result, decision-makers face new challenges, and the MESGO course is designed to help them adapt to modern-day realities and demands. It provides for in-depth analysis of legal, political and economic issues – notably competition law, prevention of litigation, risk management, regulation and media policy – and concentrates on current and future challenges facing sports organisations in matters such as sport's specificity, competitive balance, exploitation of commercial rights, social dialogue, violence, doping, and social responsibility.
The course has been established and is delivered by a number of academic bodies: Birkbeck Sports Business Centre, Birkbeck College, University of London; Centre de Droit et d'Economie du Sport, Université de Limoges; Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz; Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya; University of Lleida; and Sciences Po, Paris.
In addition, team sport partners – UEFA; European Handball Federation (EHF); International Basketball Federation – Europe (FIBA – Europe); European Rugby Association (FIRA-AER); and the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) – are giving their support, and have been joined for the second edition by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
"The Executive Master in European Sport Governance is a unique platform for training, social and professional contact, knowledge-sharing and personal development for sports organisations' elected representatives and managerial staff," said UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino.
"The MESGO is designed to stimulate the analytical reflexes of decision-makers in sport. It invites them to analyse the governance of European sport at its most complex and explore the diversity of international practices. The strength of the MESGO lies in its consideration of European sport from multiple angles. It incorporates economics, politics and law, draws comparisons between different sports and uses carefully selected examples from other sectors to help participants develop appropriate responses to the important challenges they face."
Specific course topics in the nine one-week sessions are: context of international sport, sports organisations, governance, legal framework, marketing challenges, sports events, ethics, the North American model, and the future of sport governance. "With the MESGO, decision-makers in sport finally have a programme destined to meet their needs and expectations," added Mr Infantino.
To be eligible for the MESGO programme, applicants should meet the following requirements:
• A minimum of five years' experience at managerial level
• Educated to degree level
• Fluent in English
The deadline for applications is 15 April 2012. Successful candidates will be selected after interview.
To apply, please complete the application form, which can be found here: www.mesgo.org. For further information, contact info@mesgo.org or telephone 00 33 (0)1 45 49 63 22.
