The Referee Education Course was published for the first time as part of the ICC’s training and education programme

• The ICC Umpire Foundation Certificate is designed to introduce learners to the fundamentals of umpiring to officiate games at club level.
• The course is offered free of charge and fully online, and is part of the growing ICC training and education program, supported by a global network of master educators.
• Aspiring coaches and referees can begin their educational journey Register for ICC courses here

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the launch of its first education course for match officials – the ICC Umpire Foundation Certificate.

The entry-level course is designed to introduce learners to the fundamentals of refereeing so that they can gain the knowledge and confidence needed to officiate games at club level.

This newly released resource is completely free to access and is delivered entirely online through an innovative micro-learning approach that enables courses to be completed at any pace and in short, sharp blocks from home or via mobile device.

As participation continues to grow across the global cricket communities, the new offering furthers the ambition of the ICC Training and Education Programme, which ultimately seeks to improve the playing experience of member nations by improving access to world-class educational resources.

Interested coaches and referees can register to study ICC training and education courses Registering here.

ICC Arbitration Foundation Certification follows the successful release of other resources as part of a training and education program. Launched in October 2021 with the ICC Coaching Foundation Certificate – the first step in the ICC’s coach education pathway, which recently celebrated its 6,000th.^Th Global graduate.

Other courses that have experienced strong global growth include the ICC Coaching Course Level 1, the ICC Pitch Curator Foundation Certificate and the Creo Cricket Program Facilitator Training Course.

Speaking at the launch of the ICC’s first-ever Certified Referee Education Course, William Glenwright, General Manager of Development, said: „The launch of the ICC Referee Foundation Certificate represents a key moment in the development of the game. With better access to educational courses than ever before, the ICC continues its commitment to improving the playing experience for participants around the world.

„This course complements other resources we have introduced over the last two years to enable better quality trainers, referees and curators in member states.”

More courses, including the ICC Coaching Course Level 2, are scheduled to be released in 2023.

Key to the future success of this course is the staff trained by the ICC to accredit referees in 108 member countries. Following a week-long workshop in Dubai last month, the first group of 18 refereed primary educators underwent theory and practical sessions in preparation for launching the new curriculum.

ICC Master Educators represent the highest level in the workforce hierarchy supporting the delivery of educational programs in ICC Member States. They are responsible for training and accrediting ICC teachers – while the teachers themselves provide accreditation courses for prospective coaches, umpires and pitch curators.

Glenwright added, „By training a global workforce of senior educators, we can ensure that each ICC member has the tools necessary to train local staff so that they can deliver the various components of the ICC training and education program when they need it.”

Claire Polozak, who was certified in the first batch of ICC Referee Master Educators in Dubai last month, “I am delighted to be part of the first group of principal educators to deliver ICC Arbitration Education courses to interested communities in my region.

„The ICC Training and Education program has already been profoundly successful in increasing the number and quality of qualified coaches around the world, and I and the rest of the team are delighted to see the impact this resource will have in increasing the number of high-quality referees officiating cricket matches around the world.”

More information on ICC training and education courses can be found here https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/development/training-and-education