Arsenal and London Met launch business workbooks for students

London Metropolitan University and its Holloway neighbour premier league football club Arsenal are to launch a series of business workbooks at an event at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday 2 February.

Award-winning lecturers from the London Metropolitan Business School (LMBS) collaborated with Arsenal in the Community, and authored the series workbooks for A-Level, Vocational and GCSE students.

The workbooks, which are available to purchase from the University, contain real-life case studies offering insight into the world of sport club management. The useful and engaging resource enriches students’ learning experience and develops their understanding of key business principles. Students from participating schools and colleges will be given the opportunity to visit Emirates Stadium for a tour and a workshop on careers at the Club.

Chief Executive of Arsenal Football Club, Ivan Gazidis who will host the launch said: ‘This is another example of Arsenal in the Community successfully working with partners to produce a meaningful piece of work. We hope this project will offer students the opportunity to see a dynamic business in action and get under the skin of the organisation and the operational side of the business.

Malcolm Gillies, the new Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive for London Metropolitan University, who will welcome the guests said: ‘It is always encouraging to be pioneering new and innovative practical approaches to teaching and learning with our local partners in the community and so we are especially delighted to be launching the London Met Business School Arsenal case studies which have already proved to be extremely popular with local teachers and students in the recent pilot.’

Head of Arsenal in the Community, Alan Sefton said: ‘It’s a timely piece of work since we’re celebrating 25 years of Arsenal in the Community later this month. The department has continually been at the forefront of pioneering activities and projects that contribute to the lives of individuals in the local community.’

-Ends-

-Notes to Editors-

1. Authors: The workbooks have been written by Paul Kitchin, Jon Pettigrew and Guy Portman all of London Metropolitan Business School. In 2009 LMBS Lecturers Paul Kitchin and colleague Dr Geoff Walters were awarded ‘Best Case Study’ for Arsenal FC Stakeholder Study at the recent European Association of Sports Management conference in Amsterdam. The case was submitted as an example of Best Practice in Facility Management and distinguished itself from competitors by focusing on the qualitative aspects of Best Practice.

2. Arsenal in the Community is committed to making physical activity, particularly football, accessible to all through its soccer schools for boys and girls. It is engaged in a number of other education projects which includes the innovative Arsenal Double Club which offers a range of subjects, together with football coaching. It aims to raise confidence and ability levels in both primary and secondary schools by using teaching resources based around Arsenal and the beautiful game, followed by a football session with a coach.

3. London Metropolitan University is one of the foremost providers of undergraduate, postgraduate, professional and vocational education and training in Britain. It is the number one university for sport in London, consistently topping the British Universities Colleges Sports league tables in Basketball, Tennis, Table Tennis, Badminton, Netball and Combat Sports. London Met’s excellent sporting facilities are featured in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide for Basketball and Fencing.

4. London Met Business School, one of the largest business schools in the UK, has achieved excellence in teaching and research. LMBS offers students the chance to develop a depth of knowledge and relevant skills. Its relationships with both UK and International provide opportunities for students to address real life business challenges.

For further information please contact:

For the workbooks, contact:
Vanessa Airth: 020 7320 1461 or lmbs.events@londonmet.ac.uk

For media enquiries regarding Arsenal in the Community, contact:
Kate Laurens: 020 7704 4019 or klaurens@arsenal.co.uk

For media enquiries regarding London Metropolitan Business School, contact:
Pat Wood: 020 7133 3886 or p.wood@londonmet.ac.uk

2 February 2010

Communications and PR Office