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De Montfort University: University Link with UK Football Team Kicks off with English Support for New Japanese Player

2010-11-09 15:46
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LEICESTER, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--De Montfort University (DMU) in the United Kingdom (UK) has forged a new link with Leicester City Football Club (LCFC) and kicked off the partnership by helping their new Japanese player to learn English.

DMU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dominic Shellard, and City’s Commercial Director, Paul Hunt, have signed a Letter of Collaboration strengthening ties between the university and the club.

Yuki Abe joined City, also known as the Foxes, this summer and DMU was delighted to welcome him and his translator to the university for a visit.

DMU is now giving him regular English language lessons with DMU’s Centre for English Language Learning (CELL) which specialises in teaching English to international students and professionals from overseas including business people, pilots, doctors and nurses.

Yuki was also introduced to visiting Japanese professor Masa Ishii and student Shin Achiwa, both from the university’s renowned International Centre for Sports History and Culture (ICSHC).

Shin is studying the groundbreaking FIFA Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport at the ICSHC and, coincidentally, is the same age and from the same home town as Yuki, who plays for his country’s national team and is a sporting celebrity in Japan.

Shin, 29, from Ichikawa, Chiba, said: “It was really great to meet and chat with Yuki Abe and it felt like I had known him for a long time.”

It is hoped that the collaboration with City will also result in discounted match tickets for international students and an internship for a DMU student to work for the club.

Professor Shellard said: “Leicester City is a football club with a long tradition and a special place in the hearts of its fans. As a keen football fan myself, I am excited to be bringing De Montfort University in to a closer association with the club and contribute to its future success.

“We are committed to supporting cultural life wherever we can; to help transform individual lives or make a difference to organisations. Collaborating through partnerships like this, means DMU can use its excellence in teaching, learning and research to benefit the wider community.”

Contacts

De Montfort University Press Office
Jo Griffin
+44 (0) 0116 257 7021
news@dmu.ac.uk