Forty-five students in mid-cycle programs for Sales Management and Commercial Spaces, along with higher-cycle students in Marketing and Advertising, attend the Severo Ochoa Institute in Elche. Over several weeks they have collaborated with Elche CF and the City Council on an education initiative. This project thrives thanks to the training center’s forward-thinking approach, embedding active teaching methods already outlined in the Vocational Education Act amendment.
Severo Ochoa de Elche, Center for Vocational Education: Technology applied to learning
The initiative follows a research-based path where students explore how advanced teaching techniques can boost recruiting and loyalty among European fans. The fieldwork employs a varied methodology, ranging from surveys to personal interviews. Some teams collect objective, quantitative data to illuminate the underlying truths, while others at the institute focus on qualitative insights to support their conclusions.
In the classroom, researchers observe the dynamics among participants established in recent days. A pair they studied—two students who have been involved in running an online travel agency—have been organizing trips for foreign visitors to Elche matches for several years. Sports tourism is clearly thriving, especially around LaLiga Santander events, and the Elche club sits near one of Spain’s busiest residential and tourist hubs.
Los Hayes, directors of the Euro Tour Guide operator, provided students with direct exposure to taking European fans to Elche matches. It is anticipated that Barcelona will visit Martínez Valero this Saturday at 9pm, marking a peak moment for the year. Jessica Hayes highlighted the role of this meeting and the planned visit to Real Madrid. The agency will depart from La Zenia on the 27th, stopping at several beaches along the way to La Marina, guiding 220 foreign fans.
subscriber loyalty
With the support of Hayes, Severo Ochoa’s Marketing and Management of Commercial Spaces students gained practical insight into how recruitment and loyalty of European subscribers can be enhanced. The initiative, approved by the City of Elche Department of Education, presents students with real-world challenges through active methodologies and close collaboration with the club to deepen practical understanding. Prof. Salvador Correas emphasizes how crucial it is for students to engage with real-world fan profiles, while partner Sergio Molto underscores the value of interviews with Hayes to better understand the Franciverde fan base.
The plan also involves visiting strategic spots near the beach, such as Habaneras and La Zenia shopping centers, to collect survey data from European Elche fans. Early findings indicate strong potential for attracting European sports tourists to Elche. Correas notes that the practical outcome should guide the development of a concrete communication plan for Elche CF to improve engagement, and he highlights that the project uses a fully real-life case with active methodologies designed to foster teamwork, mirroring professional environments. He adds that many students are highly motivated because they are supporters of the club.
from the club
The collaboration receives additional support from Elche, with Marketing Director Jorge Pérez coordinating ties between organizations and supervising the center’s education leaders, the five faculty members, and the students. The club president, Joaquín Buitrago, states that this effort will go beyond a standard assignment, aiming to implement the most compelling proposals from the club to put them into action.