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From October 6 to 8, the 22nd Annual International Conference “European Athletes as Students” (EAS) will take place at the University of Latvia in Riga, Latvia.
This year’s main theme, “Dual Careers of Elite Athletes: Integrating Sport and Education for Future Success,” focuses on how educational systems and sports organizations can collaborate to ensure a sustainable future for athletes.

The EAS Conference has become an important annual platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience among representatives of sports federations, universities, and sports schools, ERASMUS+ project partners, and dual career experts. The event features presentations of scientific research, examples of best practices, and opportunities for developing cooperation in future projects. Traditionally, the conference also includes the presentation of the Bengt Nibelius Scholarship, awarded to outstanding young researchers in the field of dual careers.

This year’s conference will gather around 70 participants from 16 European countries and Brazil—including professors, researchers, representatives of national Olympic committees, sports schools and academies, as well as students. Among the participants will also be representatives from the European Parliament, the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science, the Latvian Olympic Committee, the Latvian Basketball Association, and international organizations such as FISU and ENGSO.

Conference participants will explore innovative strategies and policy frameworks that support the academic and athletic development of young athletes. The program will also include practical examples from leading European universities (in Spain, Italy, and Germany), youth sports schools (in Denmark and Finland), as well as experiences from Brazil. Discussions and working groups will serve as a platform for developing new ideas and projects in the field of dual careers.

Professor Ilvis Abelkalns of the University of Latvia emphasizes:

“For the University of Latvia, this is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to supporting student-athletes’ education, while also learning from practices implemented elsewhere in Europe. It is also a chance to contribute actively to the work of EAS—for example, the ERASMUS project ‘More than Gold’ initiated by the University of Latvia in 2021 developed guidelines for governments and universities that formed the basis for including dual career provisions in the new edition of the Latvian Sports Law.”

The open and friendly atmosphere of EAS conferences has always encouraged the creation of new initiatives, strengthened cooperation, and fostered the development of lasting professional relationships.

The official conference page: https://eas2025.lu.lv/