Ivan Palanco, student Master Online and living in Japan

Ivan Palanco, Technical Director of FCB’s Escola Fujuoka (Japan), is studying JCI’s e-MISM (International Master in Sports Management Online), and has been living on Japanese territory for nearly two years.

Why do you think it is important to study our e-MISM?
I think anyone involved in sports must be as educated as possible to carry out their tasks professionally. This Master’s degree offers me an excellent opportunity to learn all key aspects in sports management.

What do you think of e-MISM’s syllabus (online campus, case studies, contents, etc.)?

The syllabus is not only complete, but also helps students understand what it means to be a manager. Practical cases are key to every session, making it easier to understand units, and narrowing the classic distance between theory and practice.

Do you find it difficult to combine your e-MISM studies with your personal life?
The key is that e-MISM adapts to every student’s personal needs. The fact that teacher and student always agree on the pace to follow has prevented me from having too many difficulties during my studies.

Every e-MISM student has a personal tutor. What do you think of this personal approach in an online Master’s?
Being treated individually is excellent. Tutors are always there when you need them, and provide great support at an academic and personal level. Besides providing solutions and answering questions, tutors understand your situation, and go the extra mile adapting it to the syllabus. This is definitely one of the aspects that have surprised me most about e-MISM.
Despite being an online Master’s, Johan Cruyff Institute intends to make relationships with our students as personal as possible. What are the advantages of our particular online methodology?

I have undergone other online studies, and this is the first time that I don’t have the feeling of carrying out a correspondence course. Despite the distance, I consider to have had a very close relationship with my tutor and my peers.

What do you think of the interaction with your e-MISM peers?
I think it has been very positive. The group is made out of people that come from very different countries, professions, and experiences. Exchanging opinions is very interesting. It is not only allowing me to consider different points of view that were unknown to me, but also provide me great value at a personal level.

What useful knowledge is e-MISM providing you?
It has provided me the necessary skills to understand sports management from a professional point of view.

Do you think athletes should think more about their future?
I think professional athletes have to be intelligent, and learn to see things from a particular or certain perspective. In my opinion, professional sports are compatible with education, moreover since technology and online studies have yielded new proposals. If we understand that there is life beyond our sports career, perhaps we will start to think about enriching it to improve our present, and prepare for the future.

Do you think that the sports industry has to be managed by sportsmen?
I believe that sports must be managed by sportsmen that are both educated and qualified.