Competence and knowledge transfer from science to practice

19 participants have successfully passed the third intake of the European Handball Manager certificate studies – a degree course jointly organised by the European Handball Federation and the German Sports University Cologne. The third and final period of study, which finished with written and oral exams, traditionally ended the day before the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

The certificates were handed over by former EHF President Jean Brihault, Vice-President of the German Sports University Stefan Schneider, Forum Club Handball representatives Xaxier O’Callaghan and Gerd Butzeck, EHF Executive Member Carmen Manchado and Programme Director Stefan Walzel.

The European Handball Manager course consists of five modules: basics in economics and law, strategic handball management, marketing and sponsorship, finances and licensing, and media and communications. The course finishes with both oral and written exams. The programme is held either in German or English, alternating per year; the 2017/18 course was the second one in German.

Two former EHF Champions League winners were among the 2018 group. “All emotions return when I see LANXESS arena. It feels like it was yesterday,” said Stefan Schröder, who won the trophy in 2013 with HSV Hamburg, the club he still works for in administration and marketing.

“The European Handball Manager programme has definitely advanced my knowledge, mainly in all economic matters. The start was hard for me, as I had to ‘learn to learn’ again, but ultimately I am happy that I took the opportunity.”

The second former EHF Champions League winner that participated in the course was the first male handball player to win all major EHF club competitions: Austrian Viktor Szilagyi, who took the EHF Champions League title with THW Kiel, the EHF Cup with VfL Gummersbach and the Cup Winners’ Cup with SG Flensburg-Handewitt. After being sports director at Bergischer HC, Szilagyi became manager for THW Kiel in January.

“It is great to get this the theoretical and scientific background you need to be successful in practice. This programme is absolutely the right way for former players, who, after their career, want to work in clubs. The programme gave me huge input and many suggestions for my daily work, to have a concept for my job. Besides, we had a great atmosphere in our group of students and highly skilled lecturers,” said Szilagyi.

Five women were among the 19 participants. One of them was Jennifer Kettemann, Managing Director of German champions Rhein-Neckar Löwen. “Though I had studied business administration, there were so many new fields of knowledge in this programme. The diverse group of former players, managers and people from different countries was a stimulus too, and of course we will network and stay in touch in the future. I definitely would recommend this course to all involved in handball business.”

Schneider and Brihault underlined the “intense and fruitful cooperation” between the EHF and German Sports Universities in their speeches at the certificate ceremony on Friday. “This programme is an excellent example of how to bring a practical approach to science,” said Schneider.

The next European Handball Manager course – this time in English – starts in September.