Blog
UCFB Customer Success Story
Founded in 2011, University Campus of Football Business (UCFB) offers undergraduate and postgraduate university degrees specialising in the football and sport industries. With state of the art facilities in London and Manchester - with both Wembley Stadium and the Etihad Stadium at the heart of their campuses, students are provided with an exceptional environment to live and learn in. UCFB has developed a range of focused qualifications to enable those working within the industry to drive their career forward, and to provide a gateway for those aspiring to pursue their ambitions of working in the sporting sector.
In addition to the unique degree programmes, UCFB has also implemented an employability and enrichment programme, offering valuable work experience opportunities to ensure UCFB students graduate with a wealth of knowledge and experience on top of their degree. UCFB has a number of partnerships with some of the leading names in sport, including The Football Association (FA), League Managers Association (LMA) and The National League, giving students access to some of the biggest and best minds in football and sport. A testament to the exceptional programmes and opportunities that UCFB offers, almost two thirds of their former students are now working in sport related industries.
Growing as a business
Since 2011, UCFB has experienced exceptional growth, increasing student numbers from 50 in 2011, to over 2,500 in 2019 with 200 staff. Its first campus, which originated in Burley and now offers A-Level and BTEC sports courses, kicked off the business, which has continued to rapidly grow over the past nine years. Since then, UCFB has opened campuses in London and Manchester, both containing excellent facilities with lecture theatres, seminar rooms, quiet study areas, libraries and media suites, maintaining exceptional learning environments for its students.
In addition to this, the business has quickly expanded worldwide. The introduction of UCFB’s online courses and global hubs in Australia, Canada and the US has attracted students from around the world, and demand is only growing. The online degrees give students the chance to expand their career and knowledge of the industry from home. This gives students with existing commitments flexibility on courses that will open up pathways to a career in the sporting industry. To add to this flexibility, the online portal is available from all smart phones and tablets, meaning students can study on the go.
During the online study, students have the opportunity to visit both Wembley and the Etihad Stadium,, as well as UCFB's global study hubs in the US, Canada and Australia at New York’s Red Bull Arena, Atlanta’s brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Toronto FC’s BMO Field and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Industry leading partnerships
Due to its impressive growth and popularity throughout the years, UCFB has built and maintained a significant number of long-term partnerships with industry leaders, including The FA, The National League, The LMA, Kick It Out, The Rugby Football League and The United Soccer League. With these partnerships in place, students can further contribute to their extensive knowledge of the industry during their time at UCFB.
To further enhance this, students have the opportunity to learn from senior practitioners in the football business and wider sports industry. Guest speakers have previously included, current England men’s football manager, Gareth Southgate, BBC Sport presenter, Gabby Logan, former England, Everton and West Ham manager, Sam Allardyce, and Head of Marketing at The FA, Georgina Lewis.
Supporting students
UCFB puts considerable investment and emphasis on providing its students with great placement and work experience opportunities. Due to its strong partnerships in the industry, over 2,500 student placements have been secured since UCFB’s inception, provided by over 450 leading organisations across the world of football, sports and events. A few of the most outstanding placements include, Mackenzie Cadman, BA (Hons) International Football Business – Match Day Operator at the UEFA Champions League Final, Lianna Bagley, BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting – Matchday Presenter at Wembley Live, and Martin Weis, BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance – Venue Management Assistant at the UEFA Europa League Final.
For UCFB, supporting students after graduation is equally as important. Due to its support and industry leading contacts, over 90% of graduates find themselves in employment within six months of graduating, with almost two thirds of graduates working in the sporting industry. A few examples of current roles are, Apprentice Journalist at Sky Sports News, Advanced Centre Coach at MK Dons and Video Producer at The FA. Because of this, UCFB was recently ranked as the best higher education institution in the UK for employment prospects at the University Compare Annual Student Experience Awards 2017, based on 10,000 graduate reviews from around the country, an incredible achievement for a business which was only founded nine years ago.
Looking to the future
UCFB currently stands as the 2nd largest UK provider of sports degrees in one of the fastest growing industries on the planet, and it is continuing to grow every year. In only nine years, UCFB has built a stable set of facilities and partnerships for its students, which has supported them through their education into their sporting careers.
As this number increases, Datel and the Sage 200 system will further assist and support UCFB with its financial management as it grows and develops as a business in 2020 and for years to come.
