UCFB and GIS are delighted to announce the launch of an educational partnership for 2023 with LAPS – Life After Professional Sport, the ultimate careers platform for elite athletes.

University Campus of Football Business and its Global Institute of Sport is a world-first in higher education, offering undergraduate, postgraduate and online degrees in the football and sports industry. From media and marketing to coaching and management, UCFB & GIS’ pioneering programmes enable you to kick start your career in any sector of sport.

Founded by ex-Championship striker Robbie Simpson, LAPS is a careers platform offering advice, networking and job opportunities from employers who specifically want to tap into the talent pool of pro sportspeople.

With their joint expertise in elite sport, it was a natural fit for UCFB and GIS to team up with LAPS to add more insight on how to follow a career in the sports industry.

Careers in sports business, media, coaching and administration are some of the areas covered in the courses on offer at UCFB and GIS.

The partnership will inform LAPS members about the many routes they can take after sporting retirement, including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at GIS, as well as professional education courses such as Player Care or The Inclusive Leadership in Football Award (TILIFA), delivered in partnership with Kick It Out.

“Here at UCFB, we’re thrilled to be Life After Professional Sport’s education partner," said Brendan Flood, chairman of UCFB.

“With professional sporting careers lasting as little as a decade or less, education for athletes is becoming increasingly important. Through the partnership we hope to open doors for many athletes through our various degree and professional education programmes.

“We’re passionate at UCFB and GIS to help support athletes take their talent and experiences from ‘on the pitch’ to convert them to the board room to both drive the sport forward, but also help reduce the challenges athletes can face from post-performance retirement.”

Commenting on the partnership, Robbie Simpson, LAPS co-founder and former Championship striker, said: “Professional sport is expanding and as more and more athletes are able to train and compete professionally, there are also more careers in sport.”

“We want to support our LAPS members to have as wide a range of options as possible when they start to plan for life after sport, and the partnership with UCFB/LAPS allows us to showcase their range of courses targeted at athletes who are ambitious to rise to the top of the sports industry.”

To see the undergraduate degrees offered by UCFB, click here. 

Alternatively, to have a look at the list of master’s degrees which can be taken at GIS, click here.