The four Johan Cruyff Colleges and three Johan Cruyff Academies in the Netherlands, which belong to Johan Cruyff Institute academic network, renew their contract to continue educating elite athletes for four more years
The academic initiative that Johan Cruyff launched 20 years ago continues to consolidate over the years and is today a recognized brand worldwide under the name of Johan Cruyff Institute. The four centers of Johan Cruyff College (Amsterdam, Enschede, Groningen and Roosendaal) and the three centers of Johan Cruyff Academy (Amsterdam, Groningen and Tilburg) in the Netherlands have renewed their strategic commitment to be part of the academic network of Johan Cruyff Institute for the next four years and continue to educate elite athletes. After signing the contract renewal in August, the two parties met up for a celebration dinner that took place in the restaurant De Veranda with the presence of Jordi Cruyff and Mariël Koerhuis, general manager of Johan Cruyff Institute, and the team managers and directors of Johan Cruyff College and Johan Cruyff Academy.
Jordi Cruyff and Mariël Koerhuis, with the team managers of Johan Cruyff College & Johan Cruyff Academy. Carole Thate (Manager of The World of Johan Cruyff) and Niels Meijer (Director of Johan Cruyff Foundation) joined them as well
“It seems incredible that 20 years have passed since my father created this institution and today he would be very proud to see what it has become. He always said that in life you have to have a plan B and academic study is the best complement to sport” – Jordi Cruyff
“He had an exceptional talent and a great determination to succeed in football. In his case, he did not finish his studies and it worked out well for him, but he knew that not everyone manages to become a professional or, if they do, to be at the highest level as long as they would like. An injury at an early age can leave you with nothing and studies are part of our life.”
Johan Cruyff College offers elite athletes in the Netherlands the opportunity to combine their sports career with professional studies (training cycles). Each of its four centers is part of a Regional Educational Center administered by the Dutch government. Johan Cruyff Academy is also intended to be exclusively for elite athletes from the Netherlands and offers a four-year Bachelor of Business Administration program in Sports Marketing. Each of its three centers forms part of a University of Applied Sciences.
Peter Jansen, president of the steering committee of Johan Cruyff College, explained that “in the Cruyff academic network’s 20 years of existence, our goal has remained unchanged: to support a dual career for athletes, combining sport and education at the highest level, and prepare them for their second career when the time comes for their retirement from sport. Thousands of athletes have graduated since our beginnings. Their studies have enabled them to go further in sport, and their discipline and sport mentality have helped them succeed in that challenging combination. As the demand for athletes and sport itself increases, we continue working to offer an innovative education.”
The Johan Cruyff Institute academic network in the Netherlands stands out for facilitating a complete educational itinerary that embarks all cycles, from vocational training, through university and postgraduate studies, within a single academic institution dedicated to sport. All the member centers share the same pedagogical vision that is characterized by giving students responsibility for their learning process, offering them a personalized tutoring service and innovative pedagogical methods, without their learning being conditioned by the time or place of study.
This renewal of the collaboration within the network allows us to continue developing new educational methods in favor of the professionalization of sport, by and for the athletes themselves.
Emile de Haas, Edo de Jaeger and Peter Jansen on behalf of Johan Cruyff College Amsterdam, with Jordi Cruyff
Camiel Swerink and Ritzo Bloem on behalf of Johan Cruyff College Enschede, with Jordi Cruyff
Martijn Loppersum and Lucinda Wondel on behalf of Johan Cruyff College Groningen, with Jordi Cruyff
Herman Kruis and Geertje van Dalen on behalf of Johan Cruyff College Roosendaal, with Jordi Cruyff
Kim Middendorp and Freek Rebel on behalf of Johan Cruyff Academy Amsterdam, with Jordi Cruyff
Rob Verburg and Peter Idema on behalf of Johan Cruyff Academy Groningen, with Jordi Cruyff
Marc van der Linden and Minou Hoeberichts on behalf of Johan Cruyff Academy Tilburg, with Jordi Cruyff
STUDY PROGRAMS JOHAN CRUYFF INSTITUTE AMSTERDAM
- Master in Coaching (Amsterdam & Arnhem, English, Start: February 2020 – Dutch edition: January 2020)
- Module Sport & Facility/Event Management (Amsterdam, Dutch, Start: January 2020)
- Master in Sport Management (Amsterdam, English, Start: September 2020)
