December 2023
On December 18-20, 2023, the European University Sport Association (EUSA) Institute organized in Val di Zoldo, Italy, the kick-off meeting of the DiscoverU Collaborative Partnership, in conjunction with the European University Winter Championships & EUSA Winter Forum.
The consortium is coordinated by EUSA Institute includes Croatian Academic Sports Federation, UniSport Heart Foundation (CRO), Hungarian University Sports Federation – MEFS (HUN), the Akademcki Zwiazek Sportowy -AZS (POL), the University of Salerno and FederCUSI (ITA), and EAS (MLT). DiscoverU will gather information on sport and physical activity opportunities for students in higher education and will share good practice examples for university sport and dual career support in the partner countries. To enhance sport participation and active lifestyles of university students the partner organizations will engage in blended learning, share experiences, gain new information and skills.
Dear Dual Career Friends and Colleagues,
Christmas is a time for love, reflection on recent activities, inspiration and hope to renew our good will toward dual career. The sportspersons need dual career to contribute greatly to the society and our singular mission is to improve their opportunities to combine and progress their sports, education, and working life.
In the past months EAS continued the discussion of specific dual career issues through virtual cafes dedicated to the educational and employment perspectives, dual career as a means of European sports diplomacy, and the alignment of sports and working values. Furthermore, a large participation to the 20th EAS Conference in Gaeta, Italy, substantiated the growing interest in uncovering dual career aspects and stimulating a fruitful dialogue for the promotion of wellbeing of the sportspersons. Surely, proposals from our members for addressing new topics will be greatly appreciated.
In agreement with the aims of the Network, in 2023 EAS contributed to the finalization of three very successful ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships dedicated to empower dual career athletes with entrepreneurship skills (ELCAMP), para-sports (Para-Limits), and the employee-sportspersons (BRAVA-DC), to the first phases of a Collaborative Partnerships dedicated to (Talent), and a Capacity Building (Sports as Value), and in the 2004 it will be involved in new ones (DC Mentor, DiscoverU, FIND ME, and Smart Start for DC). Furthermore, EAS also contributed to the publications of the book “A holistic approach to the dual career of the student-athlete”, a paper on the self-perception of dual career developed during the Para-Limits project published on a peer-review journal.
During this year, EAS consolidated fruitful partnerships with International Organizations in Sports through the participation in relevant events organized at European (e.g, Erasmus+ Infoday, 2023 European Sport Forum, Bureau of the “Consultative Committee of EPAS – Council of Europe”, Dual Career Day at the University of Naples, Italy)) and international (2023 Sport Forum, Soochow University, China) levels. Finally, a Memorandum of Understanding between EAS and the Italian Scientific Society of Movement and Sports (SISMES) was signed, and the President of EAS received a Medal of Appreciation from EUSA for her dedication to dual career.
During the Annual General Assembly held in Gaeta, Italy, the analysis of the responses to the EAS survey relative to the past and future actions of EAS was discussed to direct the Strategic Plan for the 2023-2026 quadrennium to be presented during the 2024 EAS Conference to be held in Katowice, Poland.
As we enter the New Year, we shall reaffirm our determination to support dual career sportspersons with great enthusiasm and passion. We are grateful to work with such a dedicated community and we are looking forward to remaining inspired by renewing the 2024 EAS membership through the link http://www.dualcareer.eu/membership/.
We extend our very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a bright New Year to you and your beloved ones.
The EAS Board
On December 16, 2023, the University of Soochow, China, organized an international meeting with the Chrles University of Prague, The University of Rome Foro Italico and the University of Taipei, followed y a Sport Forum during which Prof. Laura Capranica, President of EAS, presented the European dual career policies and activities.
Among the efforts of the European Commission in supporting Collaborative Partnerships and Capacity Building projects, the projects on dual career financed in the last decade were illustrated.
Furthermore, the role and contribution of EAS in addressing specific dual career issues in past, present, and future EU-funded projects were highlighted, also envisaging possible cooperation with non-European countries. In fact, dual career could be considered a valuable means for sport diplomacy to improve the dialogue, relations, and cultural exchanges between countries.
Coordinated by the University of Limerick (IRE) in cooperation with EAS (MLT), Elite Sports Academy Aarhus – ESAA (DEN), European University Sports Association Institute – EUSA (SLO), European Platform for Sports and Innovation – EPSI (BEL), Human Age Institute Foundation (ITA), Roma Tre University (ITA), University of Ljubljana (SLO), and University of Nis (SRB), after three years the Brand Values Alignment through Dual Career (BRAVA) project, co-funded by the European ERASMUS+Sport Programme (622824-EPP-1-2020-1-IE-SPO-SCP), has come to its end. On December 12, 2023, EPSI hosted the last transnational meeting of BRAVA-DC in Brussels (BEL) to discuss the achieved outcomes and to foresee further development in the dual career of the employee-sportsperson. Despite the pandemic challenges, the consortium successfully accomplished important steps in uncovering the evidence and eminence of the dual career at the workplace, which were summarized in scientific contributions, and a report with 16 guidelines and an evaluation tool available at https://edu.bravadualcareer.eu.
In the afternoon, more than 30 in-person and 100 online participants attended the Final Conference of BRAVA-DC, which was organized in conjunction with the 11th EAS online Cafè. Alberto Bichi (Director of EPSI) welcomed the participants on behalf of the hosting organization and project consortium, and Prof Ciaran Mac Donncha (Coordinator, University of Limerick) illustrated the main outcomes and findings of the project.
Dr. Kolë Gjeloshaj (Strategic coordinator at the European Fair-Play Movement – EFPM), previous Chair of the International Fair-Play Committee – CIFP) Scientific Committee, Scientific Collaborator at the Institute of Sociology of the Université Libre de Bruxelles and Vice-President of the Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles and Belgium) emphasized the relevance of values for dual career, which need more reflections and future actions.
Navy Officer Florentia Sfakianou (Olympian and Public Affairs Officer at International Military Sports Council – CISM), presented the dual career opportunities offered by military sports to actual and former athletes and the efforts of CISM in organizing one of the largest global sports events.
Dr. Ignazio Cocchiere (Policy officer in the Sport Unit of the European Commission’s department for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport – DG EAC, and soccer player) highlighted the European values and priorities in the field of sport, including the importance of dual career from the viewpoint of the EU and Sport Unit. He also offered his personal dual career experience as a professional football player in Italy, Switzerland and Belgium, and as an employee at the EU institutions.
More information on BRAVA-DC project is available at www.bravadualcareer.eu.
OPENING FOR DUAL CAREER MENTOR CENTER IN LATVIA
On December 12, in the city restaurant “Lapsas Māja”, members of the Latvian University Sports Federation (LUSF) together with his colleagues and representatives of the sports industry opened the Dual Career Mentor Center (DCMC).
At the event, LUSF presented DCMC’s Informative publication “Dual Career Challenges and Options”. The authors of the informative edition are LASS president, Agita Abele, LU professor Anna Liduma, Head of the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Latvia Ilvis Abelkalns, and LSPA Ph.D. student Sofia Spidola Martinsone.
Today, sports and education are two essential areas of personal and professional growth in self-realization. Dual career issues are becoming more and more relevant around the world, especially in youth education, when high school graduates start planning their sports life career, wanting to connect it with education and learning a profession at a university.
An informative – educational publication on Dual career opportunities has been created by the Latvian Student Sports Union (LASS) and the International Student Sports Federation (FISU) within the cooperation project and it can be used by anyone interested in a dual career and the possibilities of realizing it in sports and educational careers.
The event was opened by LASS president Agita Ābele, emphasizing Latvia’s current situation and especially the importance of Dual careers today. Member of the 14th SAEIMA Davis Martins Daugavietis, chairman of the sports subcommittee, emphasized personalities and the importance of competencies and diverse resources, thus motivating the further development of sports and supporting student-athletes in their growth towards academic and chosen excellence in the professional sector.
LASS members and guests discussed future ideas and possibilities in anticipation of the anniversary methods for their effective implementation and various upcoming changes in sports and education in question.
DKMC Informative edition is available on the website: https://studentusports.lv/duala-
career-3/
Information prepared by
Sports Union of Latvian Universities
Between 19-22 November, the second workshop was organized, this time by the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina. OPES Italia was in charge of creating valuable and useful workshop content which they had planned based on the feedback of the participants. The partners have expressed their need that they would like to enable their participants with more project management skills which help them in the future to run similar projects like Sports As Value.
Besides focusing on technical skills such as project design, implementation, budget monitoring, coordination and evaluation systems, the objective of the workshop was to draft a base of a sustainable grassroots sports event management guideline, as well as to start to form the joint actions. The partners have been paired up to organize cooperatively events in their countries about value promotion and sports. The common work will also enhance their relationship for future cooperation. They are also encouraged to help each other as they own diverse useful competencies.
In the upcoming period, the project team will finalise the guidelines and the plan for the joint activities in the Western Balkan region. The next in-person meeting will happen in Montenegro in June when the Olympic Committee will show us how to deliver a sustainable grassroots sports event locally about values in sport.
The TALENT Project aims to promote equal education, prevent exclusion, support Dual Careers, create a new pattern of behaviour to benefit young, talented children, and prepare for lifelong learning and professional sports from childhood.
3rd Meeting of the Partners in Athens, Greece
The 3rd Transnational Partners’ Meeting took place on the 23rd and 24th of November, 2023, in Athens, Greece, and was hosted by KMOP Education and Innovation Hub. During the meeting, the partners discussed finalising the document for the Standards for Identification of Talented Children and the Methodological Handbook with Standards for the Detection and Assessment of the Potential of Talented Children in Sports. The partnership discussed the quality of the results and how they can be used by the target groups – educators and coaches wishing to support the dual career of students and how to recognise talented children in sports.
During the meeting, the partners developed the structure and content of the modules for the E-Stop Platform, in which children, teachers, coaches and parents interested in the topic can register and create a profile. The platform will contain practical information about recognising talent, supporting children, preventing their drop-out, and helping them maintain this dual status in the future by starting a dual-career program. The partners will develop the content, which will be piloted in the participating countries beginning in September 2024.
The contents of the platform will be:
- Positive Youth Development
- Fostering/Moniting Inclusive Environments
- Implementing Teamwork and Shared Insights in Recognising Talent
- Practical Talent Recognition and Support Strategies
The meeting was fruitful, and the partners ensured the development of qualitative results to enhance and support the target groups (coaches, educators and talented children). We are pleased with the outcome of the meeting and the positive atmosphere held throughout this two-day meeting. All representatives showed interactivity and were highly motivated to reach the goals of our project.
We thank you for your visit and for attending this meeting. It was an excellent opportunity to listen to each partner’s views on the project, evaluate its progress, and inspire the next steps of its implementation.
Stay tuned to learn more about the next steps of the project!
You can contact your local organisation implementing the project in your country to learn more and participate in the upcoming activities!
December 12, 2023 (from 13:55 CET)
13:30-13:55 Online connections
13:55 Welcoming of participants/speakers
Alberto Bichi (Director EPSI)
Prof. Ciaran Mac Donncha, University of Limerick (IRE) Coordinator of the BRAVA DC Collaborative Partnership
REG. NUMBER: Voluntary Organisation registration VO/1270
PIC NUMBER: 913459865
Email: info@dualcareer.eu