UCFB

UCFB (University Campus of Football Business) is a Higher Education institution offering undergraduate and postgraduate university degrees and executive education in the football business, sport and events industries.

UCFB

Established	2011
Location	Wembley Stadium, London, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, and Turf Moor, Burnley Football Club , United Kingdom
Website	www.ucfb.ac.uk

Campus Locations

UCFB has three campus locations:

Burnley Football Club

Wembley Stadium

Etihad Stadium, Manchester

UCFB Burnley opened in 2011 at Burnley Football Club.[1][2] The Queen and Prince Philip visited UCFB Burnley[3] during their tour of Turf Moor and Burnley Football Club as part of the Jubilee Celebrations.[4]

UCFB Wembley opened in 2014[2][5] at Wembley Stadium, home of English football, sport and events.[6]

Opened in autumn 2016, the UCFB Etihad Campus facilities include access to sporting facilities such as the Manchester Regional Arena and Indoor Athletics centre, National Squash Centre, Belle Vue Leisure Centre and the National Basketball Performance Centre.

In October 2015 it was announced that UCFB has gained a Postgraduate partnership with the Real Madrid Graduate School allowing students to spend months of their MSc International Sport Management course with the school affiliated with the Spanish football club.

UCFB Wembley, UCFB Etihad Campus and UCFB Burnley are located inside and surrounding their respective stadiums, with some classrooms overlooking the pitch.[2]

Global Study Hubs

All UCFB x GIS students, and alumni, have access to the GIS global study hubs. New York Metro’s Red Bull Arena, Atlanta’s brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Toronto FC’s BMO Field and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will all host the GIS global study hubs, enabling students and graduates to further enhance their knowledge and expertise of the international sports industry as well as learn from professionals working at some of the biggest organisations in the sector.

Each stadium will host a week-long global summit with seminars, guest lectures and networking opportunities allowing attendees to explore the inner workings of the leading sports organisations in international markets.

Global Institute of Sport (GIS)

In July 2020, UCFB launched the Global Institute of Sport (GIS).[7] GIS offers ground-breaking Master’s degree programmes in the football and sports industry utilising a global network of industry leaders and elite stadium venues in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. GIS also hosts a world-class executive education portfolio led by VSI Executive Education (VSI), professional qualifications for students, graduates and sports business people, and an Industry Advisory Board packed with leading names in the world of sport.

Employability & Enrichment

UCFB's Employability & Enrichment programme includes its Executive Guest Speaker Series and work experience opportunities.

The UCFB Strategic Leadership & Management Programme, another aspect of the Employment & Enrichment programme, is led by Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the Scottish Professional Football League.

UCFB students also have the opportunity to work towards a number of internal and external additional qualifications relevant to the industry. These include FA Coaching certificates, STATS (formerly Prozone Performance Analysis) and foreign language qualifications.

UCFB Academies

UCFB’s elite football academies based at UCFB's iconic campuses in Manchester and Wembley are tailored for elite level footballers who have recently been released from professional football clubs, or for those that possess an ability to play at a higher level.

The academies allow students to combine working within a professional football environment, led by UEFA qualified coaches, with a place on one of UCFB and GIS' unique degrees in football or sport.

UCFB Academy, Manchester is available to male students and is based at UCFB Etihad Campus, whilst UCFB Academy, Wembley is located at UCFB Wembley Campus. [8]

Employability & Enrichment Panel

• Dr Brian Barwick - Chairman of the UCFB Advisory Board, Chairman of the Rugby Football League and Super League;[9]
• Alastair Campbell - Former Government Director of Communications & Strategy;[10]
• Neil Doncaster - Chief Executive of the Scottish Professional Football League;[11]
• Martin Prothero - Former Senior Vice President, Sports Marketing at UMBRO;[12]
• Mike Phelan - Former Manager of Hull City Football Club and Assistant Manager of Manchester United;[13]
• Kelly Simmons MBE - Director of Football Participation and Development at The FA;[14]
• Adrian Bevington - Former Managing Director of the England National Teams;[15]
• Paul Nolan - Former Group Human Resources Director at The FA and Wembley Stadium;[16]
• Rachel Brown-Finnis - broadcaster at BBC Sport and BT Sport, and former Everton, England and Team GB footballer;[17]
• Andy Gatcliffe - Former Chief Executive of Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club;[18]
• Sue Smith - Doncaster Rovers Belles & England Footballer, and Broadcaster at BBC Sport, BT Sport and ESPN;[19]
• Michael Tattersall - Chief Executive of The National League
• Andrew Kean - Chief Executive and Founder of FirstPoint USA

Executive Board

• Brendan Flood - Chairman and Chief Executive of UCFB, Chairman of GIS and Director of Burnley FC;[20]
• John Banaszkiewicz - Director of UCFB and Burnley FC;[21]
• Paul Fletcher MBE - Director of UCFB, Former Burnley FC, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool FC Footballer, and Former Chief Executive of Burnley FC, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers;[22]
• Professor Carl Lygo - Non-Executive Director of UCFB, Non-Executive Director of the Office for Students and Founder of BPP University;[23]
• Bill Holroyd CBE - Director of UCFB, and Chairman and Founder of OnSide Youthzones.[24]

Executive Strategic Board

• Brendan Flood - Chairman and Chief Executive of UCFB, Chairman of GIS and Director of Burnley FC;[25]
• John Davies - Chief Financial Officer of UCFB;[26]
• Sharona Friedman - President of GIS;[27]
• Professor Martyn Jones - Director General of UCFB.[28]

References

1. "UK university to offer only football business degrees". BBC. June 10, 2011.
2. "Wembley announced as second home for Burnley's UCFB". Burnley Express. February 27, 2013.
3. Daydy, Graham. "By Royal appointment". Total Football Magazine.
4. "Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour reaches Lancashire". BBC. May 16, 2012.
5. "UCFB in landmark deal with Wembley Stadium". FC Business.
6. "UCFB Wembley launched". theFA.com. February 26, 2013.
7. https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/news/ucfb-news-hub/introducing-the-global-institute-of-sport/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
8. https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/studying-at-ucfb/ucfb-academies-landing-page/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
9. Barwick, Brian. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
10. Campbell, Alastair. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
11. Doncaster, Neil. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
12. Prothero, Martin. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
13. Phelan, Mike. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
14. Simmons, Kelly. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
15. Bevington, Adrian. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
16. Nolan, Paul. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
17. Brown-Finnis, Rachel. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
18. Gatcliffe, Andy. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
19. Smith, Sue. "Our Employability & Enhancement Panel".
20. Flood, Brendan. "Our Executive Board".
21. Banaszkiewicz, John. "Our Executive Board".
22. Fletcher, Paul. "Our Executive Board".
23. Lygo, Carl. "Our Executive Board".
24. Holroyd, Bill. "Our Executive Board".
25. Flood, Brendan. "Our Operational Board".
26. Davies, John. "Our Operational Board".
27. Friedman, Sharona. "Our Operational Board".
28. Cassell, Paul. "Our Operational Board".

Other references

• "Degree programmes at UCFB". UCFB.
• "The virtual tour of UCFB's campuses at Wembley Stadium, London, Etihad Stadium, Manchester and Turf Moor, Burnley Football Club". UCFB.
• Brown, Jonathan (December 9, 2010). "Lessons in the beautiful game: True fanatics can now enroll in a degree in football". Independent.