Innovation
Strategic alliance between Johan Cruyff Institute and Johan Cruijff ArenA in innovation and development in sport management
Johan Cruyff Institute and Johan Cruijff ArenA have reached an agreement to launch a strategic alliance that will come into effect on January 1st—for an initial period of three years— with the objective of bringing innovation and development in sport management to the academic arena.
The paths of Johan Cruyff Institute and Johan Cruijff ArenA will now be united to enhance the transfer of knowledge and talent through joint actions that will increase their social impact on an international scale and will help, in turn, the development of both the staff of Johan Cruijff ArenA and the network of students and alumni of Johan Cruyff Institute.
The collaboration contemplates:
- Creation of academic content and best practices at the ArenA in topics related to smart stadiums, digital transformation and data analysis in sport.
- Development of the talent of Johan Cruijff ArenA and its strategic partners of the Amsterdam Innovation ArenA through our training programs.
- Joint collaboration in the development of consulting projects (in a second phase of the project).
- Collaboration in international projects from the global network of Johan Cruyff Institute.
- Organization of activities by the Dutch educational network (Johan Cruyff College and Johan Cruyff Academy) in the different areas of the ArenA.
Henk Markerink, CEO of Johan Cruijff ArenA, commented that “we are very pleased that we can strengthen the cooperation with Johan Cruyff Institute, an academic institution highly regarded internationally. We can only applaud the fact that in this way we can contribute to enable students, often (former) top athletes, to become even better acquainted with Amsterdam's entrepreneurial spirit at an international level.”
Mariël Koerhuis, general manager of Johan Cruyff Institute, said that "we are proud to start this path with a partner that is an international reference in smart stadiums, as is the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Bearing the same name, serving the same purpose and sharing the passion for digital transformation in favor of the social impact breaking paradigms, our paths had to meet somehow at some point. The time has come, on the 14th."
Both institutions, through their respective managers, sealed the agreement in a virtual meeting held on December 14th.
About Johan Cruyff Institute:
It is the academic legacy of Johan Cruyff. Since its founding in 2002, Johan Cruyff Institute has educated athletes, sport managers and other professionals in Sport Management, Sport Marketing, Sponsorship, Football Business and Coaching. Its expansion has been unstoppable, and it currently offers 92 programs, has 12 offices around the world, with a physical presence in Spain, the Netherlands, Peru, Mexico and Sweden, and international agents in 13 different countries. More than 10,000 students have been trained in its classrooms in both on-campus and online programs. In recent years, the institution has signed agreements with key entities in the sports sector and participates in the most important sport management congresses on the international scene. Johan Cruyff Institute is is an advanced signatory of the PRME (Principles for Responsible Education) initiative, supported by the United Nations, for its commitment to the transformation of business and management education through the training of responsible leaders.
About Johan Cruijff ArenA:
The complex is not only known for being the stadium of Ajax and the Dutch national team, but also for being one of the most innovative stadiums in Europe, and the first on the continent to have a retractable roof. Traditionally known as Amsterdam ArenA, the stadium was renamed Johan Cruijff ArenA in October 2018 in honor of the best player in the country’s history. In a short time, the complex has become a mini smart city where mobility, sustainability, the experience of the fans, security and technology are combined in an open innovation platform called 'Amsterdam Innovation ArenA' (AIA) that promotes inclusion and sustainable development, objectives promoted by the UN Global Impact initiative.
