Sports and entrepreneurship share many characteristics: perseverance, goal-orientedness, teamwork, seizing opportunities, resilience in the face of setbacks, and striving for continuous improvement. These are precisely the characteristics that are reflected in the part-time bachelor’s degree program Business & Innovation from HBO Academy.
Are you that enterprising professional who sees opportunities everywhere? Develop into a business talent and ensure that the market holds no more secrets for you. After this 4-year bachelor’s degree program Business & Innovation from HBO Academy, you will know how to sell innovative products and services smartly and successfully at home and abroad.
Top sport and studying
In this four-year online HBO study, you study alongside your top sports career. You will receive one fixed evening per week of virtual classroom lessons. You follow the lessons online in small groups. Like-minded people who, just like you, have a busy schedule alongside their studies. The program is adapted to the unique needs of (professional) football players in collaboration with VVCS. You can of course also take longer to complete your study. You can obtain an associate degree diploma in just two years.
About the programme
Conduct market research, strengthen customer loyalty or write a business plan – these are just a few components of the study programme. After this practice-oriented online bachelor’s degree, you will be an enterprising professional with strong management skills. The programme was developed in collaboration with the business community and therefore seamlessly matches the needs of the market. In four years, you will combine entrepreneurship, innovation and personal growth into a solid foundation for an (international) business career.
Why choose Business & Innovation?
• Focus on innovation and entrepreneurship: benefit from the unique combination of entrepreneurship, concept development and strategic thinking with this study.
• Plenty of room for your career goals: work on your personal goals and specialise in the sector or industry where your ambitions lie.
• Practice-oriented learning: learn from experts in the field and put what you learn into practice immediately.
• Personal and small-scale education: receive lessons in small classes with room for personal attention and guidance.
• Studying alongside a (top-level sports) career: flexibly combine this online programme with your busy schedule as a top athlete. • Follow an online course: follow this online HBO course completely online, wherever you are. The lectures are also recorded, so you can always watch them again.
Study program
The part-time Business & Innovation course is flexibly structured in separate modules. Each module lasts five, ten or twenty weeks.
Year 1
The company 1 – Discover how companies really work and which processes keep everything running. From HR to logistics: you will get a grip on how an organization is structured and how you can make an impact there.
The market – Dive into the world of market research and discover where opportunities lie. You will learn how to outsmart competitors and how to successfully launch a product or service on the market.
My product 1 – Turn your creative ideas into an innovative concept. You will learn to apply design thinking and discover how to come up with innovative products or services that really add value.
Project management – Become a pro at planning and organizing! You will learn how to tightly manage a project and how to work with a team from idea to result. My product 2 – Time to turn your idea into a concrete plan. You investigate whether it is feasible, put a business case on paper and work on a revenue model.
Year 2
Branding – Turn a product or service into a strong brand that stands out. You learn how to build a brand story, attract customers and choose the perfect marketing strategy.
The company 2 – Learn how to set up and grow a company as smartly as possible. From optimizing processes to recognizing risks: you get a grip on how an organization remains successful.
Management 1 – Develop your skills as a leader and discover how to motivate and manage a team. You determine how an organization works and grows.
Business plan – Turn your business idea into a rock-solid plan with which you convince investors or customers. You learn to think strategically, investigate the feasibility and determine how you conquer the market.
Management 2 – Become a master at communicating, negotiating and convincing. Whether you close a deal or give a pitch: you know how to get people on board with your story.
Year 3
Information management – Get the most out of data and AI to make smarter decisions. You will learn how companies use data to predict the future and develop successful innovations.
Strategic management – Learn how to grow and strengthen large companies. You determine the course and make smart strategic choices for long-term success.
Innovation management – Initiate change and come up with innovative concepts that turn the market upside down. You will learn how to implement innovations and make an impact.
Marketing communication management – Attract attention and reach exactly the right target group! You will learn how to set up and optimize marketing campaigns with data and smart strategies.
Year 4
Quality management – Ensure that products and services deliver top quality. You know how to continuously improve a company and optimize processes tightly.
Graduation phase 1: design – Score an assignment at a company and determine how you will really add value there. You choose an issue that matches your interests, such as: how can a car company become more sustainable, how can a furniture manufacturer do business in a circular manner, or how can a sports club attract more sponsors and visitors? You draw up a plan of approach and lay the foundation for your graduation research.
Graduation phase 2: research – Conduct research and develop a solution that makes an impact. You deliver a product or plan that a company can really use.
Graduation phase 3: accountability – Pitch your graduation work and show why your solution is the best. You defend your project like a pro and prove that you are ready for the field.
Your investment
The tuition fee for 2025/2026 for the program is € 3,725 per academic year. Payment in 4 installments is possible. The amount can be adjusted annually based on price indexation and cost development. The book fee is approximately € 950 for the entire program (this may change).
Savings opportunities:
• As a VVCS member, you are entitled to a 10% discount on tuition fees.
• You may be eligible for the government’s lifelong learning credit.
• During your studies, you can receive a €250 discount on your tuition fees if you get someone in your network enthusiastic about taking the course and that person registers.
Admission and registration
You have a havo, vwo or mbo 4 diploma. If you do not have this and you are 21 years or older, you can take the 21+ admission test to test your suitability for the course.
After registration, an intake interview will follow with HBO Academy, in which we will discuss your ambitions, motivation and study needs in order to guide you successfully through the bachelor’s degree programme.
Want to know more?
The VVCS regularly organises information meetings about this course in collaboration with HBO Academy. The next one is scheduled for Thursday 26 June from 19:00 to 20:00 via an online Teams meeting. If you want to attend, please fill in the form on the HBO Academy website.
Register for the online information session on 26 June
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please send an email to Arjan Ebbinge:
E-mail: a.ebbinge@vvcs.nl
Telephone: 06-42298097
Website HBO Academy: www.hbo-academy.nl
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