The four-year partnership between BU and The Cherries is designed to enhance students’ experiences through a variety of exclusive work experience opportunities, giving them a competitive edge when looking for full-time work.

This includes working alongside the AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust in delivering an annual season-long project for every year of the partnership, as well as supporting the club’s media and commercial team on match days.

Bournemouth University Vice-Chancellor John Vinney said he was delighted to see two of the town’s biggest institutions working together for the benefit of the students and the community.

“We are very excited about the partnership with AFC Bournemouth and the opportunities and experiences it will create for our students,” he said.

“It is also exciting that our two institutions will be partnering to make a difference in our local community, showing a continuing commitment to the area in which our staff and students live.”

The new partnership will also mean BU’s varsity football teams receive expert coaching from AFC Bournemouth’s Community Sports Trust.

At the launch of the partnership, the teams were treated to a training session with AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe at the Goldsands Stadium.

“I think it’s a great tie-up,” Eddie said.

“We would love to give people the experience of how a football club works and obviously, from the students’ perspective, that will be something that they will value greatly.

“We’ve already had a few interns getting full time jobs with us, so it’s hopefully a set up that works and hopefully both parties will benefit.”

Megan Cave, from the BU women’s varsity football team, took part in the training sessions at AFC Bournemouth.

“It’s been good to have this experience and see it all, and the coaching will help develop us as players and as a squad,” said the second year Sports Development and Coaching Sciences student.

“I’m interested in working somewhere like this in the future so it’s great to be able to get in here and make those professional links.”

A number of Bournemouth University graduates are already employed by AFC Bournemouth, including the club’s commercial director Rob Mitchell.

AFC Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn said that he hoped the new partnership would also benefit the local community.

“This is the start of what we hope will be a really large and successful partnership, with two of the most esteemed organisations in the area joining forces to create centres of excellence,” he said.

“We like to think that the football club is the hub of the community and the contribution of the university will help this develop into an amazing relationship, bringing both local businesses and students in the area together.

“It is a great opportunity to develop the skills of young people both within the university and the football club.”