November 2025
Soft skills are considered crucial for the employability of athletes at the end of their sport career, and the key aim of the ERASMUS+Sport SmartStart4DC project (101133555; https://SS4DC.eu)
On behalf of the EAS Executive Committee, we inform you that the 19th EAS Virtual Cafè on “XXI century skills as a bridge between sport and employability” will be held on Monday November 24, 2025 (from 13:00 CET) zoom meeting: https://uni-lj-si.zoom.us/j/99306210428
13:10 Welcome – Prof. Cristina Cortis, PhD
Cristina Cortis, PhD, is Rector Delegate for Sport and Health at the University of Cassino and Lazio Meridionale, Italy. Her research interests span from determinants of sport performances to dual career of athletes.
13:10 What Sport Has Taught Me About Succeeding in Business and Life – Mrs. Vedrana Malec
Vedrana Malec, Master’s Degree in Journalism, is a three-time Olympian in cross-country skiing. Currently, a project manager in the sports event industry, and a dual career ambassador of the Croatian Olympic Committee. She believes that dedication, discipline, and teamwork are the foundation of personal growth, professional development, and the achievement of long-term goals.
13:20 Dual Careers in the 21st Century: Building a Successful Path Beyond Sport – Mr. Sebastian Harry Lloy Algie
Sebastian Harry Lloy Algie, Bachelor Degree in Physiotherapy, is a former basketball player born in Canada who moved to Italy with his family and started playing basketball till two years ago.
13:30 Pursuing Excellence in Life through Sports – Mr. Joseph Tanti
Joseph Tanti, Master’s in Science of Sports Coaching, is a teacher of Physical Education, a handball coach, and Sports Promotion teacher in Malta. He spent three years at the Aarhus Sports Academy in Denmark where he coached a women’s handball team.
13:40 Smart start for DC – the Dual Career Journey Starts Here – Mr. Renato Vuk
Renato Vuk, Bachelor Degree in Media Management, is the Head of the Project Management Office at Sports School PESG, where he aims to provide young student-athletes with high access to additional growth opportunities and support in pursuing their dual careers, as through the European SS4DC educational platform.
13:50 General discussions and concluding remarks
Within the opening ceremony of the Italian Society of Movement and Sports Sciences (SISMeS), a dual career symposium on the Italian and European dual career was organized. SISMeS is a partner of EAS and its 2025 conference attracted more than 370 participants, represents the most important event of the sport sciences, addressing research topics spanning from education, health, performance, and public engagement.
Moderated by Prof. Attilio Parisi (SISMeS President), Prof. Giuliana Gobbi (Conference Chair) and Angela Di Baldassarre (SISMeS Past-President), Laura Capranica (EAS President) presented the EU-funded projects and their outcomes targeting athletes (e.g., SmartStart for DC, Springboards, EdMedia, ELCAMP), teachers/tutors (e.g., Talent, Starting11, Estport, DC Mentor, COMPATH), parents (e.g., EMPATIA), universities (e.g., DiscoverU, More Than Gold, FIND ME), and companies (BRAVA DC) available at the European Commission Platform of ERASMUS+ projects (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects). Germano Guerra (President of UniSport Italia and University of Perugia Rector’s Delegate for Sport) illustrated the advancement of Italian DC at university level and the role of the UniSPortItalia Network. Giuliana Gobbi (University of Parma Rector’s Delegate for Sport) described the DC programme at the University of Parma and the collaboration with high schools and the University Sport Association, and Eseos Fostine Desalu (Olympic Gold Medallist Tokyo 2020) provided an inspirational speech for athletes.
Olga Papale, winner of the 2025 Bengt Nybelyus Scholarship, received the Special Mention of the Young Researcher Award for her oral presentation,
Dear friends of Dual Career,
As anticipated during the EAS Conference in Riga last October, we inform you that the 19th EAS Virtual Cafè on “XXI century skills as a bridge between sport and employability” will be held on Monday November 24, 2025 (from 13:00 CET).
We invite you to visit the official website of the ERASMUS-Sport Smart Start 4 DC project (https://SS4DC.eu) where you can explore the Educator Manuals of Communication Skills, Social Interaction, Emotional Intelligence, Listening Skills, Leaderships Skills, Teamwork&Collaboration, Desire for Continuous Learning and Application of Knowledge, Critical Thinking, and Respect for Diversity
In the next days, you can have further information and the link to the Cafè at www.dualcareer.eu.
Together with the meeting of the ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnership AthleteConnect (ACON), on October 29 and 30, 2025 the University Sports Association of Poland (AZS) celebrated in Warsaw (Poland) the Polish governmental programme of dual career with an event encompassing the Annual University Sport Congress, an international Conference on Dual Career, and a Gala to honour the major achievements of the Polish University Sport.
During the international Conference the EAS President, Laura Capranica, provided an overview of the European dual career, including the opportunities offered by deliverables of some European Collaborative Partnerships for athletes (e.g., SmartStart for DC, Springboards, EdMedia, ELCAMP), teachers/tutors (e.g., Talent, Starting11, Estport, DC Mentor, COMPATH), parents (e.g., EMPATIA), universities (e.g., DiscoverU, More Than Gold, FIND ME), and companies (BRAVA DC) available at the European Commission Platform of ERASMUS+ projects (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects).
Andrej Pisl illustrated the mission, activities, events and projects of the European University Sports Association (EUSA), highlighting the role of dual career to enhance the university impact and visibility through the ongoing ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnership Discovering University Sport and Dual Career (DiscoverU).
Spartaco Grieco presented the activities of the sports club APS ASD Margherita Sport e Vita (Italy), which is involved in several European projects focused on the dual career support of youth athletes, including Smart Start for DC.
Johanna Perrier explained the vision, activities, programmes of the French Sport Foundation with special focus on the creation of a support community for talented athletes, including a dedicated platform for individuals and businesses to engage in tax-deductible donations to support the specific needs of youth athletes.
Finally, Kristiana Kazandzhieva from the Bulgarian Olympic Committee provided an overview of the ACON project on dual career and its main outcomes.
Moderated by Krzysztof Sedzicki, medallists at the 2025 Summer University Games Maksymilian Szwed (track and field-gold), Przemysław Konecki (compound archery-bronze), Szymon Piatkowski (taekwondo-silver) and Aleksandra Leszczynska from AZS Lodz and Karol Bar from AZS AWF Katowice participated in a panel discussion and provided their personal experiences, the past and actual challenges, and vision of future transitions.
Aleksandra Leszczynska (AZS Lodz) moderated the last panel session with Rector Alojzy Z. Nowak, (University of Warsaw and President of the Academic Sports Association), Piotr Borys (Ministry of Sport and Tourism), Rector Bartosz Molik (University of Physical Education, Warsaw), Prof. Adam Zając (Vice-Rector for Sport at the University of Physical Education, Katowice) who discussed the relationships between national and local governments, and university sport bodies.
After the conference, a special Gala celebrated the major achievements and successes in the field of university sport in Poland, from the athletes to the university sport organizations and the universities.
REG. NUMBER: Voluntary Organisation registration VO/1270
PIC NUMBER: 913459865
Email: info@dualcareer.eu