Udinese Calcio and Babson College Begin Strategic Collaboration Focused on Innovation, Education and U.S. Expansion.

Roger Hampel

Image: Udinese Calcio

Udinese Calcio has announced the start of a strategic collaboration with Babson College, the Boston-based institution recently ranked by the Wall Street Journal as the second-best university in the United States for overall quality and widely regarded as a global leader in entrepreneurial education. The partnership marks the beginning of a structured dialogue between a European football club known for its innovation model and one of the world’s most influential academic ecosystems for business, entrepreneurship and applied learning.

The meeting took place in Udine, where Babson representatives examined Udinese’s organisational and sporting model — a structure often cited in Italy for its sustainable operations, international scouting network and talent-development framework.

A Collaboration Connecting Education, Sport and Innovation

For Udinese, the partnership offers a platform to share the core elements of its management approach:

• sustainability,

• innovation,

• data-driven decision-making,

• multi-club knowledge exchange,

• and talent development built around long-term value creation.

The club also intends to explore opportunities for expanding Udinese Academies in the United States, including the possibility of tournaments, training activities and joint programming hosted at Babson’s athletic facilities. Udinese views the U.S. as a priority market for its long-term international footprint, particularly across youth development and community-based football operations.

Babson College, meanwhile, gains direct access to the methodologies of a Serie A organisation known for its efficiency and ability to operate competitively without the financial scale of Italy’s largest clubs. The collaboration will allow Babson to design training modules, experiential learning formats and student-athlete development pathways rooted in real-world football management.

Babson’s Interest in the Udinese Model Udinese Calcio Babson College

Babson’s engagement reflects the university’s long-standing focus on applied entrepreneurship — using real organisational case studies to build practical competencies in leadership, innovation and global operations. Udinese’s sustainability-oriented approach, resource optimisation and multi-market scouting processes align with themes Babson has historically emphasised within its academic programs.

The partnership also opens the door to immersive learning experiences in Udine for both Babson students and athletes, creating a bridge between academic research and elite sport operations.

Statements Emphasize Shared Values and a Long-Term Roadmap

Magda Pozzo of Udinese Calcio framed the collaboration as a natural extension of the club’s global outlook, underlining that Udinese seeks partners who share a commitment to innovation and international vision. She highlighted that work with Babson could generate new projects that link sport, education and entrepreneurship across continents.

Mike Lynch, Head of Athletics at Babson College, described the opportunity as a meaningful step for the institution. He referred to Udinese as an organisation whose values align with Babson’s approach to leadership and innovation, and expressed interest in understanding “the Udinese way” directly through on-site engagement.