“It was an inspiring and energising experience”- City in the Community Degree programme visit China.   | OneFootball

City in the Community’s Degree Programme took a trip to China.

The visit included stops in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuhan, and aimed to explore collaborative opportunities for the students while strengthening knowledge around the course.

Oliver Murphy, 11+ Education Officer, led the trip alongside Manchester Metropolitan University, which focused building relationships with universities across the world.

CITC sat down with Oliver to speak about the trip.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GOING OVER TO CHINA WITH CITC?

Going to China with City in the Community and colleagues from Manchester Metropolitan University was an amazing experience.

It was great to see how our values—like being caring, inclusive, and youth-led—really connected with people over there and are at the forefront of our mind as we look to establish sustainable growth for our BSc and MSc Degree courses.

The trip allowed both CITC and MMU to collaborate further and build real opportunities for our current and future students and form partnerships that could make a big difference to their experience with us.

It felt good to be part of something bigger, and to see the impact CITC can have globally.

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP?

The purpose of the trip was to promote the City Degree programme, build relationships with top Chinese universities in Guangzhou and Wuhan, and explore new opportunities for Chinese students to study in Manchester.

It was also about laying the groundwork for future collaborations, including short and long term student placements and career pathways.

HOW DID THE TRIP HELP STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AND COURSE KNOWLEDGE AROUND THE WORLD?

The trip helped strengthen relationships by creating face-to-face connections with key universities, the British Council, and City Football Group partners in China.

These meetings opened up real conversations about collaboration and trust. It also boosted global awareness of the City Degree programme—showcasing how sport, education, and community impact can come together in a way that’s relevant across cultures.

Sharing our approach first-hand helped others see the value of the course and how it can benefit students internationally.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS?

Building these relationships is important because they create real opportunities for students, like study abroad, placements, and career pathways, that wouldn’t exist otherwise, something that having a Youth-led approach has allowed us to learn and develop from.

The relationships we have established or strengthened also help us learn from other cultures, grow the reputation of the City Degree globally, and make sure our work stays relevant and impactful beyond the UK and ultimately means we can do more for more young people, in more places.

What did you do while you were over there?

Our week-long trip to China was intensive but highly rewarding.

We began in Guangzhou, where we visited Guangzhou Sports University to meet with university leaders and explore collaborative opportunities for their students to join the City Degree programme in the UK.

Dr. Ben Ives delivered an overview of the programme, followed by a micro-lecture on trust in the coach-athlete relationship.

This led into a practical session, providing participants with a hands-on example of how BTEC sessions are delivered in partner colleges—mirroring the expectations of students during placements.

We also met with the British Council in Guangzhou, where we gained insights into current trends in China’s education sector and shared the progress of our programme.

It was particularly valuable to learn that Premier League Primary Stars is being delivered in China, helping us to better understand the exposure Chinese students may already have had before potentially joining us in Manchester.

Next, we travelled by bullet train to Shenzhen, where we met with David Tang, CEO of Shenzhen Peng City, and his leadership team.

Discussions focused on the City Degree, their community engagement strategy, and potential placement or employment opportunities for both UK and international students.

We also had the opportunity to attend the Shenzhen Peng City vs Dalian Zhixing match.

Our final stop was Wuhan, where we visited Wuhan Sports University and Wuhan University of Technology.

We again met with university leaders, delivered information sessions, and led practical activities that reflected how we run community sessions in Manchester.

Overall, the trip provided a strong foundation for future partnerships and exciting opportunities for cross-cultural learning and student engagement.

Why do you think trips like this are important for the students?

Trips like this are important for our students because they reflect and reinforce our CITY values—Caring, Inclusivity, Transformative, and Youth-led.

They show we care about creating meaningful, real-world opportunities that go beyond the classroom.

By building international partnerships, we’re being inclusive, opening doors for students from different backgrounds and cultures.

These experiences have huge potential to be transformative, helping students grow personally and professionally through global exposure.

By focusing on student-led experiences like placements and cultural exchange, we stay true to being youth-led, ensuring young people are at the centre of everything we do.

How would you sum up your experience in China?

It was an inspiring and energising experience—one that showcased the global potential of the City Degree.

From building strong partnerships to exploring new opportunities for students, the trip was a real step forward in connecting education, sport, and community on an international scale.

It left me feeling proud of what we’re building and excited for what’s ahead.

City Degree works in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University to develop our future workforce through work-based learning, qualification and regular mentoring by our CITC Coaches to ensure our graduates are able to achieve their full potential.

With work based learning in elite and professional sporting surroundings, the course provides students with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to find success as a coach or sport programme leader.

City in the Community empowers healthier lives for city youth through football.

To find out more go to www.mancity.com/citc or follow @citcmancity.