Staff, students and graduates of the Global Institute of Sport have been talking to us about why Manchester is one of the best places to study.
As the first year of GIS’ new and expanded Manchester Campus nears its end, students and academics alike have been very excited about the opportunities and experiences the city has to offer for its students.
Jemma Entwistle, who studied MSc Football Coaching and Analysis, said that Manchester is the place to study when it comes to specifically sports industry-related degree courses.
“Part of me is a bit jealous that I’m not coming in now as a fresh student because Manchester is massive for sport.
“You’ve got two of the biggest football clubs in the world. But not just football; There’s tennis, cycling, so many different sports within Manchester.”
GIS students at the campus are spread out across Greater Manchester, including our Football and Sports Business Centre at Exchange Quay.
Our course leader for MSc Sports Business and Coaching, Moses Gomes-Santos, said: “We are in the Salford Business Park, where there are so many businesses right now.
“It allows the students to get a real authentic feel of how it will be being a business worker in and around other successful businesses.”
Another location as part of the Manchester Campus is the home of our media and communication degree students, MediaCityUK.
Lecturer Dr Christopher Shoop-Worrall said: “It is absolutely fantastic that as a media course, we are where we are, which is one of the leading hubs of innovation and media output in Europe.”
As well as sport and location, everyone at GIS agrees that the opportunities in Manchester for students are unrivalled.
One of the key opportunities available at the Global Institute of Sport is networking, and there are few places better on Earth to network, particularly within the sports industry, than Manchester.
Jemma Entwistle said: “So many industry professionals are based in Manchester, and the opportunities to attend conferences or different workshops are so great within Manchester and it’s great that UCFB and GIS have a presence across the whole city.”
One of our guest speakers, Nick Speakman, global head of social media at Manchester United, said: “I couldn’t think of anywhere else for me to live and work. It is a thriving city on the up with so much going on.
“There’s so many areas for opportunity. You’ll connect with people. It’s a very tight-knit community, even though it feels like a large city.
“If you go to events, if you network, if you get out and about then before you know it, you know so many people.
“It’s a city that the younger generation can relate to and can thrive in.”
Dr Christopher Shoop-Worrall finished: “If an institution is expanding, it means it has confidence in where it’s heading.
“This is a place you will want to keep coming to and learning for as long as you can.”
Click here to find out more about our other campuses and global hubs across Europe, North America and Oceania.
You can also view a GIS prospectus by clicking here to kick off your career in the sports industry.
