UWI, CPL partner for sports marketing certificate

The University of the West Indies (UWI) has partnered with the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to offer a new certificate programme in Sports Marketing, starting in June.

Deputy Dean at UWI’s Faculty of Sport Amanda Reifer made the announcement on behalf of Dean Dr Akshai Mansingh last week, during a ceremony hosted by the Cave Hill Campus.

Cricket, Reifer said, has advanced through academies and close collaboration with universities.

This association, she said, will help to further develop the sport regionally.

“We see the UWI as the partner to help pull cricket from the doldrums.

“The involvement of our academies and members of staff is already testimony to this,” Reifer said.

“Our involvement with the other regional success, the CPL, is another exciting partnership that benefits our students and faculty.

“Getting the best of their management team with ten years of regional experience while opening our human and facility resources is a partnership destined for success.”

CPL Chief Executive Officer Pete Russell said applications will open in the coming weeks, and that programme will offer students the opportunity to learn about the building and delivery of a world-class sporting product.

“There will be input from senior CPL staff who will give insights into marketing, brand-building public relations, content creation, understanding of the digital landscape, and of course business management,” Russell said.

“At the end of the course, up to 12 students will be given the chance to intern with the CPL and get a further understanding of how the league operates.”

UWI Vice-Chancellor Prof Sir Hilary Beckles highlighted UWI’s quest to be a “global centre of excellence” for teaching and learning, and noted that this certificate programme will add value to the West Indies cricket team.

“As West Indies cricket seeks to rebuild its global competitiveness,” Beckles said, “we hope that in turn, West Indies Cricket will now find in our university, the example of global leadership.

“This certificate programme will bring tremendous value to West Indies Cricket for generations to come because the graduates of this programme will move into professional positions where they, in turn, will make space for those who will come thereafter.”

Following the event, UWI Principal Prof Clive Landis escorted a small party that included Russell and CEO of the Rajasthan Royals Mike Fordham on a tour of the cricket facilities on campus, including the recently refurbished 3Ws Oval, and the Garfield Sobers Indoor Cricket School, which is currently under renovation.

Landis said the campus’ decision to showcase its cricketing facilities is part of an overall plan to attract more international students to pursue programmes in the field of cricket.

Principal Landis also referenced UWI’s strategic plan “to leverage the academic achievements of the University...to export our educational products to the wider world.”

He said, “In the cricketing realm, this can be achieved by attracting international students into our world-class cricket programme at the Academy of Sport or through the enrolment of international students online.

“In this respect we are converting our Master’s in Cricket Studies into an online course for students interested in earning a Master’s Degree online from an accredited university, with a unique cricketing pedigree.”

During the ceremony, Landis received, on behalf of the Campus, a cricket bat from former Barbados and West Indies batsman, Desmond Haynes, which he used during his 100th Test match.