FIFA MASTER ALUMNI - WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - MARIA MUSIIAKA

Maria Musiiaka

Current position: Director of International Relations at the Ukrainian Premier League

Year of graduation: 2016 (16th Edition)

Nationality: Ukrainian

 

What does your current role involve?  

In my role as Director of International Relations for the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL), I am responsible for developing and leading projects that involve foreign partners, developing and maintaining international relations of the UPL with other sports organizations in Europe as well as worldwide.

Additionally, I work on bringing international football knowledge and experience to Ukrainian professional football by organizing different types of knowledge transfer events for the member clubs of the UPL, as well as for the representatives of other football entities in the Ukraine. 

Moreover, working in a small organization, sometimes I take up various interesting projects related to other departments, which contribute to getting a comprehensive understanding of not just the league's affairs but also of many areas of the Ukrainian football landscape.

Which aspects of the FIFA Master course have helped you most in your career?  

For me, coming from a different industry, the FIFA Master provided a foundation for my new career path in sport. First of all, it provided me with the necessary information and tools on how to interpret processes and regulations in the world of sport and, following graduation, opened several doors in the industry. Now I am working in international relations, the experiences gained from the FIFA Master have been vital for my current position.

What advice would you give to future students on the course?  

The international sports industry is a lot about people and often about different cultures, mentalities and opinions which do not always resonate with your own. Therefore, it is important to be able to deal with these differences.

The FIFA Master course gives you a unique opportunity to explore and start developing your emotional intelligence almost immediately.  So, I would suggest being open to conversations with as many people as possible during your time on the course in order to be able to learn something new not only from them – but equally importantly - about yourself. Indeed, your classmates can often be your most generous teachers.

 

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked No.1 Course in Europe 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 by the SportBusiness International global rankings.

Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).

Discover more examples of inspiring FIFA Master alumni career paths by clicking here.