The Johan Cruyff Colleges provide elite athletes and talents in the Netherlands with the opportunity to balance top sports with vocational education in sport marketing and coaching
From the 2018-19 academic year, the network of Johan Cruyff Colleges, which offer elite athletes and sport talents in the Netherlands the opportunity to combine their studies with sport, will be provided by four ROCs (vocational education centers): ROC van Amsterdam (since 2004), Noorderpoort in Groningen (since 2006), ROC West-Brabant at their Zoomvliet College in Roosendaal (since 2007) and ROC van Twente in Enschede (since 2009). They have all extended their mutual cooperation. However, it has been agreed not to extend the collaboration with ROC Nijmegen (since 2006).
The partnership offers vocational education programs in ‘Sport & Business’ and ‘Sport & Coaching’. Besides offering a balance between elite sport and studies, the network offers opportunities for internships at companies, government bodies and sport organizations. It also maintains close contact with various Dutch sport federations and academic institutions, as well as offering access to an international network of educational opportunities.
Since 2006, the ROCs have collaborated in the field of educational development, programming, recruitment of students, and corporate and government partnerships. This agreement has been extended by all the ROCs, with the exception of ROC Nijmegen because of an educational difference of opinion. It was mutually agreed by the ROCs and Johan Cruyff Institute headquarters in Barcelona not to extend the collaboration with the Nijmegen center.
This means that this academic year the last students have started at the Johan Cruyff College in Nijmegen. The ROC in Amsterdam, Noorderpoort in Groningen, Zoomvliet College in Roosendaal and ROC van Twente will continue to offer study programs to their top athletes and talents under the name Johan Cruyff College in the coming years.
The Johan Cruyff College network remains in partnership with its umbrella organization, Johan Cruyff Institute in Barcelona, dedicated to serving the best interests of elite athletes and talents who want to combine sport and studies at the vocational education level.
Johan Cruyff Institute Network
The Johan Cruyff Colleges are part of Johan Cruyff Institute network, headquartered in Barcelona. This international academic network consists of Johan Cruyff Colleges (vocational education), Johan Cruyff Academies (bachelor’s programs) in the Netherlands, and Johan Cruyff Institutes (postgraduates, master’s programs and executive education) worldwide, including one in Amsterdam.
Since 1999, the international Johan Cruyff Institute network has educated more than 7,000 students worldwide in the fields of sport management, sport marketing and sponsorship, football business and coaching. The 62 academic programs offered by the network are delivered on-campus and online in Dutch, English, Spanish, Swedish and Portuguese to (former) athletes, sports federations and organizations, and people with a passion for sport.