- FIFPRO and HBO Academy, a Dutch university of applied sciences, provide a flexible, online bachelor’s programme in Business and Innovation for footballers
- It allows athletes to combine a first-class learning experience alongside their sports career, giving them the chance to acquire specialised skills in the likes of entrepreneurship, innovation and marketing
- Three of the students – Adam Andersson, Jonathan Augustinsson and Daniel Miljanovic – explain how the first international edition of the course has made a positive difference to their development
Preparing for life after football is something every footballer has to think about at some point during their playing career. To help footballers acquire new skills and open more avenues post-playing career, FIFPRO has teamed with HBO Academy, a Dutch university of applied sciences, to provide a flexible, online bachelor’s programme in Business and Innovation.
What sets the course apart from others is that it allows athletes to combine a first-class learning experience alongside their sports career, giving them the chance to acquire specialised skills in the likes of entrepreneurship, innovation and marketing – all while being tailored around their playing schedule.
It means footballers can develop the skills needed to make a successful transition into business whenever they choose to do so, without negatively impacting their playing career. What’s more, forty-five percent of the HBO Academy Business and Innovation alumni have gone on to find employment in a professional football organisation.
Three of the students involved in the programme – Adam Andersson, Jonathan Augustinsson and Daniel Miljanovic – share what attracted them to the first international edition of the course and how it’s made a positive difference to their development.
'I want to be ready for the next step'
Jonathan Augustinsson is a defender at Norwegian giants Rosenborg. The brother of Sweden international Ludwig Augustinsson, Jonathan chose to enrol in the course to "learn new skills and develop".
The 28-year-old said: "As a footballer, I'm typically home at two, three o'clock and then I’m pretty much free afterwards, so a good way to spend those extra hours is to study. It's a way for me to prepare myself for life after football because a football career is not that long, and I want to be ready for the next step.
"When that time comes, hopefully in many years from now, I want to be as prepared as possible."
'The programme sounded like it was something for me'
Augustinsson’s compatriot and Rosenborg team-mate Adam Andersson is also enrolled in the programme. The four-time Sweden international says he was attracted to the flexibility of online learning and the broad spectrum the course covers.
"For some time now, I've been thinking more and more about life after my football career and there were a couple of reasons why I decided to join the course," said Andersson. "It’s 100 percent online, which means you don't have to physically attend lectures, and the programme itself sounded like it was something for me.
"I like that it's broad and there are a lot of things you can work as when you're done that I think would suit me."
'I'm keen to learn how to bring creativity and strategic thinking together'
Daniel Miljanovic’s playing career has taken him to Sweden, Bosnia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Slovenia. The 23-year-old highlights transferrable qualities that footballers possess when moving into business and how the Business and Innovation course can harness and build on those existing traits.
"As a footballer, I have learned the importance of teamwork, discipline and loyalty – skills that are valuable in both sports and business. Of course, my football career won't last forever and I want to have something that motivates me as much as football does," said Miljanovic, a Spanish-born Swedish youth international.
"That's why I chose this programme, so hopefully I can have a successful second career once I step off the pitch. I'm keen to learn how to bring creativity and strategic thinking together to make exciting things happen, and I'm especially motivated to dive into areas like entrepreneurship, leadership, and business development."
Miljanovic continued: "My goal is to not only develop new skills, but also to create opportunities for myself and for others in the future. I believe the knowledge and network I will gain here will be the key to achieving that and, by the time I finish, I hope to have a clear direction and the confidence to pursue new challenges in the business world.
"This programme is a chance for me to shape the next chapter of my life. I'm excited to be part of this business and innovation program in collaboration with the FIFPRO and excited to see where it takes me."
Want to enrol?
New students can be included in the Business & Innovation course from November/December 2024 and have the flexibility of catching up on modules, as well as opting into a two-year programme as opposed to the four-year course.
To learn more about the bachelor’s programme in Business & Innovation, head HERE.
