University of Alicante Master’s Degree in Footwear begins in INESCOP
The first edition of University of Alicante Master’s Degree in Footwear Design, New Technologies and Innovation Management began on 22nd February in INESCOP’s facilities. The Master’s Degree started with a subject called ‘Foot, last and footwear’, which are keys to footwear design and manufacture. The training pathway of the master’s degree comprises a University Expert Degree Course, a University Specialist Degree Course and a Master’s Final Dissertation.
The University of Alicante and INESCOP have extended footwear industry training thanks to the great success of the last year’s course ‘Expert in New Technologies and Quality Control Applicable to the Footwear Industry’ and the huge demand for training. Both entities have cooperated closely to create and offer the ‘Master’s Degree in Footwear Design, New Technologies and Innovation Management’, which is the first master’s degree in footwear nationwide.
The key aim of this master’s degree is to impart general and specific skills and competences, which are directly related to the footwear industry in technical, design and innovation management areas.
For instance, the master’s degree includes subjects such as traditional and computer-aided pattern engineering, materials and manufacturing technologies. These subjects are complemented with others related to trend research, footwear artistic design, protection of innovation, human resources, technology transfer contracts, offline and online marketing, and digital business models, among others.
Lessons are delivered by University of Alicante professors and INESCOP technical staff in the University School of Labour Relations of Elda, in INESCOP premises as well as in University of Alicante lecture halls.
The master’s degree is eminently practical with a blended approach. It is organised in two courses and a Master’s Final Dissertation: a University Expert Degree Course (20 ECTS credits) with ten compulsory subjects, a University Specialist Degree Course (30 ECTS credits) with eighteen compulsory subjects and a Master’s Final Dissertation (10 ECTS credits). The University Specialist Degree Course will be open for enrolment as of 8th June.
José Alfredo Flores, Stuart Weitzman’s COO, speaker in the Master’s degree opening conference
On 28th February, José Alfredo Flores, Stuart Weitzman’s Chief Operating Officer, will deliver a speech in the opening event of the ‘Master’s Degree in Footwear Design, New Technologies and Innovation Management’ in FICIA Foundation’s conference room, in Elda.
José Alfredo Flores, born in Elda, has 25-year professional experience in the footwear sector working for local and international companies. He has worked for companies such as John Smith, Tempe, Wortmann Group or Pepe Jeans, and he was appointed Stuart Weitzman’s Chief Operating Officer a year and half ago. For the last 10 years, his work has been linked to the management and coordination of teams operating in the supply chain, footwear design and manufacturing.
The event will be chaired by Mr Enrique Herrero, University of Alicante Vice Rector for Studies and Training; Mr Rubén Alfaro, Mayor of Elda; Mrs Pilar Iñiguez, Full Professor of Business and Procedural Law Department in the University of Alicante, Master’s degree Director and Headmistress of the University School of Labour Relations of Elda; and Mr Antonio Porta, INESCOP’s President.