Pictured are Proftraining Finland’s Atte Varsta (front) with International Certification in Sports Management (ICSM) students and Varala Sports Institute Director Juha Antikainen, right. Students and Academy faculty are also pictured participating via an online teleconference.
The Finnish Varala Sports Institute and Proftraining Finland recently launched the United States Sports Academy’s International Certification in Sports Management (ICSM) in Finland to help students in that country train for careers as sport professionals.
Coursework for the ICSM is offered in English, online, under the guidance of Academy instructors. At the end of the coursework, a symposium will be held in Finland. As with all Academy programs, students will be able to study while continuing to work full-time in their profession.
Academy Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tomi Wahlström said the institution is proud to work with Varala and Proftraining.
“I am particularly excited about this program since I am from Finland myself,” Wahlström said. “It is a great honor to work with Atte Varsta and the ProFTraining team, as well as Varala and these outstanding students. We are also excited that Emma Kimilainen has chosen to take part in this program. This is the first of many programs we will offer in Finland, and we look for a very rewarding long-term relationship with our partners as well as success for our new students.”
The certification will take approximately eight months to complete and upon successful completion, the student will be issued an International Certification in Sports Management from the Academy. Students will be considered Academy alumni, which will provide them access to a network of thousands of peers working in the world of sport.
The program will focus on relevant sports management topics such as administration, sports marketing, sports facilities and events, sports business, human resources, sports security, and public relations.
“I’m pleased to introduce International Sports Management program to European market,” Atte Varsta from Proftraining Finland said. “I’ve seen the need and necessity of this kind of education while working in sporting industry for years. This is meant for acting sports executives, athletes preparing for work life after active sports career and professionals looking for boost or change in their careers. Our first group is fantastic mixture of active elite athletes, sports professionals and younger students seeking their credentials.”
Proftraining Finland Oy specializes in training, education, and coaching concepts of exercise and sports, providing solutions for well-being and an energetic life. The company was founded in 2015 by Anne Puranen, Viivi Kettukangas, Raisa and Atte Varsta. More information can be found at www.proftraining.fi.
Varala Sports Institute is the oldest sports institute in Finland. It is a nationwide training and education center for elite sports, exercise science, rehabilitation, and physical training. The institute is located on the beautiful lake of Pyhäjärvi in Tampere. For more information, go to www.varala.fi.
