Renowned Johan Cruyff Institute for Sports Studies to open in Iskandar Malaysia

30 April 2011 , By iProperty

EduCity@Iskandar will soon boast an internationally renowned sports management institute.

This follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday between Johan Cruyff Institute for Sports Studies (JCI), the Pelorus Dutch Sports Technology (PDST) Sdn Bhd and Education@Iskandar Sdn Bhd (EISB).

A definitive agreement will be signed within six months to establish Johan Cruyff Institute Malaysia (JCIM), JCI's pioneering institute of sports management in Asia.

Renowned for its Total Athlete Development programme, JCI, founded by Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff, grooms athletes, former athletes, coaches and sports leaders to develop their sports management skills and become educated leaders in the world of sports.

JCIM will join JCI's international network of four institutes, two universities and six colleges in Spain, Mexico, Sweden, Ecuador, Brazil, South Africa, the United States and the Netherlands.

PDST will be responsible for the business and administrative framework of JCIM, including recruitment, branding and academic programme management.

"Having gone through the rigours of being a professional athlete, we understand the sacrifices and challenges athletes face on a daily basis.

"So, the idea behind the institute is to provide an environment that not only cultivates both sporting and academic excellence, but also a platform that weaves a sense of camaraderie within the Asian sporting community," said Cruyff.

PDST managing director Razali Yaacob said it made economic sense to partake in the Asian growth story.

"The JCIM will be in a strong position to fully capitalise on the potential sports market in Asia Pacific, a market expected to be worth US$20.3 bil (RM60.4 bil) in 2013, a US$3 bil increase from 2009. There is a gap to be filled and we are confident that JCIM can and will bridge this gap."

EISB chairman Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, who is also Iskandar Investment president and chief executive officer, said JCIM would spearhead critical knowledge transfers in the academic, technical and marketing fields to boost the region's sports industry.

He said graduates of the institute, accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training, would be highly sought after as they lead Asia's growth as a centre of sports and education excellence.

"The sports industry in Malaysia generated RM30.2 billion towards last year's national gross income and JCIM will contribute to Malaysia's transformation as a high-income nation by 2020."

EISB is a member of the Iskandar Investment Group, responsible for the developments within EduCity@Iskandar, which has signed agreements to establish five globally-recognised education institutes in the region.

Once established, JCIM will join a list that includes the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia Campus, University of Southampton Malaysia and the Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology.

In 2012, Marlborough College, a leading British independent, co-educational boarding school will set up its first international institution in Iskandar Malaysia.