July 2026
Online Transnational Meeting of the FIND ME Project
On July 22, 2026, the FIND ME Erasmus+ consortium held an online project meeting attended by all the representatives of the partner institutions. The meeting focused on reviewing the current status of project implementation, monitoring progress across the ongoing work packages, and coordinating the next steps necessary for the successful achievement of project objectives.
During the meeting, partners provided updates on their respective activities and discussed the implementation of the current work packages and related project deliverables. Particular attention was given to the progress achieved so far, the challenges encountered, and the upcoming deadlines. The consortium confirmed that the project is progressing according to the planned timeline, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining close communication and coordination among partners during the forthcoming implementation period.
A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the further development of the FIND ME online platform and the network of universities and faculties involved in supporting the dual career of student-athletes. Partners analysed the current number of registered higher education institutions, exchanged experiences regarding institutional outreach, and agreed on additional activities aimed at encouraging more universities and faculties to join the platform. Increasing the visibility and geographical coverage of the platform was identified as one of the key priorities for the coming months.
The meeting concluded with an overview of the agreed action points, responsibilities, and deadlines. All partners reaffirmed their commitment to the successful implementation of the FIND ME project and to strengthening collaboration in promoting sustainable dual career opportunities for student-athletes across Europe. The outcomes of the FIND ME project will be presented during the upcoming EAS Annual Conference to be held in Oulu, Finland next October 5-7, 2026.
The FIND ME project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
On July 19, 2026, the last in-person meeting of the Erasmus+Sport Collaborative Parnership Discovering University Sport and Supporting Dual Career (DiscoverU) was organized in Salerno during the 2026 EUSA Games.
Coordinated by the European University Sports Association (EUSA) Institute, the consortium encompassed the European Athlete Student (EAS) network, the Croatian Academic Sports Federation (CASF / HASS), the Hungarian University Sports Federation (HUSF / MEFS), the University Sports Association of Poland (AZS), and the University of Salerno (Italy) in cooperation with CUS Salerno.
During the 3-year of the project life course, European university sports administrators and dual-career experts aimed to promote healthy academic lifestyles by introducing new sports activities and to support the dual career of student athletes reinforcing the university systems.
In Salerno, partners reviewed the local sport activities and the events initiated and progressed during the project, highlighted the evolution of the university dual career systems at national levels, and fine-tuned upcoming project deliverables.
The participants had also the opportunity to attend the EUSA Forum and the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 EUSA Games.
The DiscoverU project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
On July 20, 2026, the University of Salerno (Unisa) hosted a panel on Student-Athletes and Dual Career, within the framework of the European University Games 2026. After offering a concise overview of European approaches to dual career, personalized academic pathways, and the psychological and institutional conditions that support student-athletes, Prof. Francesca D’Elia (Unisa) moderated the panel of leading experts in sport policy, higher education, and wellbeing.
Laura Capranica (EAS President) highlighted the European policy framework connecting sport, education, and health. She emphasized cooperation among institutions, cultural diversity across Member States, and the need for structured dialogue between sport and education stakeholders. Speciafically for the University context, she highlighted the relevance of the European cooperation projects Give Sport a Say under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV), and the Collaborative Partnerships DiscoverU, Edmedia, Find Me, More Than Gold, and Runners4All under the ERASMUS+Sport.
Andreas Csonka (EUSA EUSA Executive Committee Member) framed dual career as a wellbeing, education, and talent policy, stressing predictable flexibility, full academic choice, and institutional reliability. He underlined the role of EUSA in enforcing the European principles: flexibility in models, consistency in outcomes, and no forced dropout.
Gaetano Raiola (Pegaso University) presented the transition from the school Personalized Learning Pathway (PFP) to university dual career programs. He illustrated regulatory tools, flexible exam scheduling, tutoring schemes, and the recognition of certified sporting activities through Italian Ministerial Decree 931/2024, enabling coherent and personalized academic pathways.
Ruggero Andrisano Ruggieri (Unisa) explored the psychological dimension of dual career through the “Double Family” construct, describing relational tensions between family, sport, and university. He proposed the university as a third space supporting autonomy, coordination, and wellbeing through mapping, clarification, direct communication, and monitoring.
Antonella Apicella, Captain of Salernitana Women Soccer Team, presented the challenges and opportunities of a university student-athlete, offering further for the implementation of dual career support policies and provisions.
The discussion reinforced a shared message: dual career requires coordinated systems, personalized pathways, and attention to wellbeing. The University of Salerno expressed its commitment to advancing dual career initiatives and exploring a dedicated institutional regulation aligned with European recommendations and the mission of EAS and EUSA.
The DiscoverU, EdMedia, Find Me, Give Sport a Say, More Than Gold, and Runners4All projects are funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
On July 18 2026, the University of Salerno in cooperation with CUS Salerno hosted the 2026 EUSA Forum “Empowering University Sport: Grassroots & Innovation” attended by representatives from universities, university sports organisations, and international partners who have the responsibility to enhance the impact of sports knowledge and best practices to foster healthy lifestyles in the academic environments and the society at large.
The President of EUSA, Mr. Haris Pavletic, welcomed the participants and presented the EUSA’s 2025-2029 strategic vision, particularly focused on the development of the students’ health, education, and personal development in and through sport. The University of Salerno Rector, Prof. Virgilio D’Antonio, and the President of CUS Salerno, Mr. Lorenzo Lentini, emphasized their satisfaction in hosting the EUSA Games for the first time in Italy, which could promote a strong legacy for enhancing physical activity and healthy behaviours in the Campania population.
The keynote speech of Mr. Antonio Parrilla, Italy’s Representative at the Council of Europe’s EPAS Governing Board Bureau, presented the relevance of the Revised European Sports Charter and its values of integrity, inclusion, and human dignity, which should be supported by institutional responsibility and structural funding.
The Forum encompassed two panel discussions. The first panel focused the future of inclusive and sustainable university sport with the contribution of Mr. Vincenzo Cusati, Sport Educator and Mental Coach from CUS Salerno, Mr. Peter Juhasz, Secretary General of the Hungarian University Sports Federation (MEFS), Mrs. Marija Panijan from the Croatian Academic Sports Federation, Mrs. Marianna Pikul from the University Sports Association of Poland (AZS), and Mr. Liam Smith, EUSA Director of Sports Events, moderated by Mr. Andrej Pisl EUSA Director of Projects & Policy. The discussion presented the importance of innovation, supportive policy frameworks, scientific data and international cooperation for enhancing grassroots sport engagement of the majority of sedentary university students and for preventing academic or sport dropout of athletes through dual career programmes.
The second panel focused on the strengthening the long-term impact of university sport through institutional cooperation with the contribution of Prof. Francesco Paolo Adorno, Rector’s Delegate for University Sports Policy and Relations with CUS at the University of Salerno, Mr. Bruno Barracosa, EUSA 1st Vice-President and former President of the Portuguese University Sports Federation, Prof. Laura Capranica, President of the European Athlete Student (EAS) network, Mr. Leonz Eder, President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and Mr. Philippe Housiaux, President of the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM), moderated by Mr. Andreas Csonka, EUSA Executive Committee Member. Key themes explored the needs of students in a fast changing society, the effective approaches to elicit active lifestyles in the academic environment, the cooperation of different stakeholders in sharing visions and responsibilities, and the importance to monitor progress. The relevance of monitoring the efficacy of policies and services for allowing students to combine sport, study, and social life was highlighted, as well as the need of cooperation to share best practices across Europe for enhancing fair play, safeguarding, ethical governance, and supportive environments.
On July 2-3, 2026, the University of Cagliari in collaboration with Sardegna Ricerche, the Regional Science and Technology Park of Sardinia, and the Sporting Life and Medicine Laboratory (SLAM), organized in Pula, Italy, the 5th UniCa Sport Scientific International Conference (USSIC). This event represented a meeting point for researchers, clinicians, practitioners, and institutions who believe in the impact of translating cutting-edge sports-related knowledge into real-world.
Whilst the first day was devoted to keynote, oral, and poster presentations related to bio-medical aspects of sports for physical and mental health of the practitioners, the second day encompassed key lectures and round tables on personalized training and on building sustainable pathways for student-athletes. As invited key lecturers, Laura Capranica, president of EAS and Thalia Darnanville, INSA coordinator of the SamEUROPE project presented the “European Sport and Education: An Alliance for Health” and the “SAMEurope: Erasmus+ mobility for dual career students”, respectively. Relevance was given to the EU Funded ERASMUS+ Collaborative Partnerships for universitiies, such as More Than Gold, DiscoverU, Runners for All, and Find Me.
Myosotis Massidda and Filippo Tocco, organizers of the Conference, moderated the round table on dual caree. Alessandra Carucci (Rector’s Delegate for international relationships of the Universty of Cagliari), Laura Capranica (Rector’s Delegate for dual career of the Universty of Rome Foro Italico and EAS President), Thalia Darnanville (INSA, Lyon, France) Carlo Castagna (Pegaso Telematic University, Italy), Attilio Carraro (Free Uniersity of Bolzano, Italy), Susana Povoas (University of Maia, Portugal), Bruno Perra (President of the Sardinia Region Olympic Committee, Italy), Nardino Degortes (Coach of the Italian national track and field athletes 1984-2002), Fulvia Cappai (basketball player and student of law) discussed the challenges and opportunities of educational institutions and sport bodies in co-constructing a cohesive supportive entourage for sportspersons in pursuing their sport and academic careers.
Further information is available at https://www.ussic.it
The DiscoverU, Find Me, More Than Gold, Runners4All, and SAMEurope projects are funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
REG. NUMBER: Voluntary Organisation registration VO/1270
PIC NUMBER: 913459865
Email: info@dualcareer.eu