Author: duponam
On May 27-28 in Strasourg, France, the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe held its 20th Annual Plenary Meetings of its Governing Board and Consultative Committee.
A joint session the Governing Board, Consultative Committee and youth participants addressed the “Youth perspective Youth Perspective for Safe and Healthy Sport” in
Preparation of the 19th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport to be held in Monaco next November 3-4, 2026. In addition to the expectations, proposals, and recommendations of young people for the Governing Board meeting, two sessions addressed Safer and Healthier sport, respectively. As a panellist of the second session, Laura Capranica – President of EAS -urged actions to bridge the gap between the academic institutions and the sport bodies to protect the most vulnerable youth athlete population and to ensure a holistic development of talents.
During its in-camera meeting, the Consultative Committee elected the President, the Vice-President and the four Members of the Bureau. Charlotte Girard Fabre (International Federation of Sport Officials, IFSO), was elected Chair, Patrik Perosa (International Dance Organization, IDO), was elected Vice-Chair, whereas elected Members were Annamarie Phelps (European Olympic Committees, EOC), Guido Battaglia (Centre for Sport and Human Rights, CSHR), James Ogilvie (Union of European Football Associations, UEFA), and Marie Denitton (European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation, ENGSO), the latter also assigned the role of Gender Equality Officer.
During the two days, the multi-lateral cooperation across Member States and sports organisations allowed to examine past actions and programmes, and to propose future strategic objectives in the field of sport, especially related to further developments of the recommendations of the Revised European Sport Charter, safe sport environments through safeguarding and anti-discrimination, sustainable sport facilities, and artificial intelligence.
The Annual EAS Conference on Dual Career will take place from 5–7 October 2026 in Oulu, Finland, bringing together educational institutions, practitioners, policy makers, researchers, and academics for three days of inspiring presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities.
The conference theme, “The Nordic Dual Career and Transitions Between Educational Levels”, will provide an important platform to exchange ideas, share innovative practices, and strengthen international collaboration within the EAS community. Furthermore, during the General Assembly the candidates for EAS Presidency and Executive Board for the 2027-2030 term will be elected.
Conference Venue
Lasaretti Conference Center
Kasarmintie 13b
Oulu, Finland
Host Organisations: Kastelli Upper Secondary Sports School, City of Oulu
Call for Abstracts
Participants are warmly invited to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations related to dual career research and practice. Contributions addressing innovative projects, case studies, athlete support systems, educational pathways, and policy developments are especially welcome.
Abstract Submission Guidelines
- Abstracts should be submitted in PDF format.
- Recommended abstract length: approximately 250–300 words.
- Please include:
- Title of the presentation
- Author(s) and affiliation(s)
- Contact email of the presenting author
Submission Procedure
Abstracts should be submitted by email to: eas2026oulu@ouka.fi
Important Dates
- Abstract submission deadline: 31 August 2026
- Notification of acceptance: 9 September 2026
Registration Information
Further conference information and registration details are available at: EAS 2026 Oulu Conference Website
Call for Nominations
The EAS President and the Executive Board Members present their compliments to the organisations which are Members of EAS (International, National or Regional Athlete Student Associations, Federations or Organisations; Universities; Sport Organisations; Federations or Councils; Olympic Committees; Local Government sports departments; and suitable other properly constituted bodies).
Delegates of EAS Member organizations can participate in the nomination and voting process to the following positions for the 2027 – 2030 term:
- The President
- Eight Executive Board Members
Delegates of two EAS Member Organizations can nominate one representative of a EAS Member Organization in the position of the President or in the position of a Board Member, by returning the Nomination Form to info@dualcareer.eu before 23:59 Central Standard Time on June 30, 2026.
To vote the EAS President and the Members of the Board for the 2027 – 2030 term, one Delegate of EAS Member Organizations must participate in person to the voting process to be held during the General Assembly at the 2026 EAS Conference in Oulu, Finland on October 5-7, 2026.
If you are unsure of your membership status or have not received the voting materials, please contact the EAS Treasurer at Mojca.Doupona@fsp.uni-lj.si
The 21st EAS Virtual Cafè on “Dual career in Sport, the Spirit of Humanity: Protecting the Sport Person” will be organized online next May 18 (Monday), 2026 at 13:00 (CET).
This event is organized in conjunction with the European projects FOCUS (ERASMUS-SPORT-2025-SCP-101243801) and “Give Sport a Say” (CERV-101253838). Whilst FOCUS aims to establish an innovative and scalable Dual Career co-created framework, ensuring that elite football players can successfully transition from youth to professional sport levels while maintaining educational and career opportunities, Give Sport a Say aims to foster the civil dialogue on future of sport policy in connection with health, equality and youth, Therefore, your participation for the advancement of the European sport dialogue will be highly appreciated.
Programme:
13:00 Welcome – Moderator
Mrs. Olga Papale, PhD Europaeus
Mrs. Olga Papale, kinesiologist. In 2025 she has been awarded the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship and the Special Mention as Youth Researcher by the Italian Society of Sport and Movement Sciences (SISMES). Her research focuses on physical activity, health promotion, outdoor exercise, and student-athlete wellbeing, with particular attention to dual career pathways and sustainable sport participation.
13:05 ”Building the FOCUS project on identified needs and evidence”
Mr. Aki-Matti Alanen, PhD
Mr. Aki-Matti Alanen, kinesiologist. He is the Sports Development Manager at the Kolmen Kampuksen Urheiluopisto OY – Sport Institute of Three Campuses (KKU), Finland, with responsibility for research, development, innovations, coach education, planning and utilization. In working closely with elite youth athletes through coaching support, well-being, testing and training, and career progression, within the FOCUS project Mr. Aki-Matti Alanen has analysed the current state of dual career in European Nordic countries,
13:15 ”Give Sport a Voice, Give Athletes a Future: Dual Career & Human Dignity in Sport”
Mrs. Sara Massini
Mrs. Sara Massini, psychologist, is the head of European and International affair department of OPES, Italian umbrella organization for grassroots sport under the Italian Olympic Committee structure. Former secretary general of ENGSO and youth leader within the Italian youth Council and European youth forum, she has a long experience in advocacy, policy and project management in the areas of sport and youth both at National and European levels. For OPES, Mrs. Sara Massini is the leader of the Give Sport a Say project.
13:25 “Dual career across a Portuguese football club”
Mr. Francisco Graça
Mr. Francisco Graça is a UEFA C Football Coach, assistant coach and physical trained of youth soccer players at the professional football club Associação Académica de Coimbra, Portugal, he is enrolled at the MSc in Sports Training of the University of Coimbra.
13:35 “Beyond the Ice Track: Sport and Dual Career United”
Mr. Ivo Steinbergs
Mr. Ivo Steinbergs, former international skeleton athlete, graduated at the Riga Technical University. With a strong experience in building national programs and preparing athletes for international competitions, he joined Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton as an official coach for the skeleton team during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games and he is the coach of the Skeleton Latvian Team qualified for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. S Mr. Ivo Steinbergs has a strong background in programming performance development, track preparation, and athlete development systems.
13:45 “Nothing Is Guaranteed in Sports: Why Athletes Need a Dual Career”
Mr. Janis Leitis
Olympic track and field athlete and Latvian national record holder in the 400-meter sprint, Mr. Janis Leitis is a nutrition specialist with a professional experience in relation to physical health, physical exercise, and recovery processes. He is a Lecturer at the Riga Stradiņš University, Latvia.
13:55 General discussions and invitation to the EAS Annual Conference and elections to be held in Oulu, Finland on October 5-7, 2026.
You can join the Zoom Meeting at https://uni-lj-si.zoom.us/j/97371548061 (Meeting ID: 97371548061).
An in-person meeting of the EAS Executive Board took place in Riga on April, 23, 2026.
During the session, President Laura Capranica presented the 2025 activity report, outlining the main achievements and initiatives carried out over the past year. Secretary Ole Keldorf presented the EAS amended Statute, in accordance with applicable legislation. At the same meeting, Treasurer Mojca Doupona delivered the 2025 financial report, providing an overview of the organization’s financial management and stability. All these documents were carefully reviewed by the Board members and were unanimously approved, reflecting strong agreement on the work accomplished.
The Board also discussed the contribution of EAS to the development of ongoing Erasmus+ Sport Collaborative Partnerships, emphasizing their role and impact. In addition, the possibility of participating in the current call for proposals under the program was considered.
Proposals for upcoming EAS Cafés were presented and discussed, with the next event scheduled on May 18th.
Reports from the committees were also presented by Antonio Figueiredo (Scientific Committee), Ole Keldorf (NewGen Committee), and Laura Capranica (Communication Committee), highlighting the work carried out in their respective areas.
A preliminary draft of the program for the upcoming EAS Conference to be held in Oulu on October 5-7, 2026 was introduced by Risto Keskitalo, with further input provided by the Board members.
Finally, regarding the upcoming elections for the presidency and the Executive Board, it was agreed that the call for candidates will be open in second half of May.
The Members of the Executive Board were thankful to Ilvis Abelkalns (member of the EAS Board) for organizing and hosting the meeting at the University of Latvia.
On April 15 and 16, 2026, EAS was invited to attend the annual EU Sport Forum “Values, Inclusion, and Wellbeing” organized by the European Commission in cooperation with the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth in Phapos, Cyprus.
Mr. Normunds Popens ‐ Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (EAC) of the European Commission, and Mr. Marios Panayides ‐ Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth of Cyprus, welcomed delegated of leading sport organisations, sport federations, European networks, and policymakers to the two-day event encompassing keynote speeches, plenary and parallel sessions, and panel discussions on relevant issues of the European Sport Model.
Mrs. Paola Ottomano, Team Leader, Sport Unit of the European Commission, and Mr. Luciano Di Fonzo, Deputy Head of Erasmus Mundus and Sport Unit of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), informed on the strategic vision for sport in Europe, including the results of the public consultation on the European Sport Model.
The thematic discussion of the first day of the event regarded: Removing barriers to women’s sporting success; Rewarding talent in sport: boosting solidarity and competitive balance; Not just medals, rethinking sport for lifelong wellbeing; The future of the European Week of Sport; The future priorities of the Irish Presidency of the Council; Uniting the Mediterranean through sport; Mental health in sport: pressure and resilience; Knowledge sharing sessions on good practices from Cyprus; Peer learning activities in Bulgaria and Slovenia; and The project GAIIN from the World Anti-Doping Agency.
On the second day, Mr. Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, presented his personal contribution to key priorities and activities of the European Commission in the field of sport, highlighting the crucial role of physical literacy for lifelong active behaviours and health. This issue was further emphasized during the round table Move more, live better: why movement matters at every age with high-level speakers and contributors. The last two sessions were dedicated to the athletes’ experiences into sport governance roles, and the integrity and investment for the future of European basketball. Final remarks were provided by Mr. Georg Häusler, Director of Culture, Creativity and Sport of the European Commission. Further information and Recordings of the 2026 EU Sport Forum will be available at sport.ec.europa.eu.
During the event, EAS and EUSA also disseminated information on the ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnership “Discovering University Sport and Supporting Dual Career” (DiscoverU), which aims to encourage innovative community engagement in physical activity and healthy lifestyles among university students.
The DiscoverU project is funded by the European Union coordinated by EUSA. 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.
The Compath Project meeting we held on 17th September in Zagreb, with the participation of all project partners, was completed. The meeting started with an opening speech by Renato Vuk on behalf of PESG. Vuk briefly mentioned the work done so far in the project and outlined the general flow of the meeting and the topics to be discussed. Following this, Håkon Ege from COLIN introduced the gamification-based digital “Competence Hub” platform, which will be developed within the scope of Work Package 3, aimed at sports innovation. Ege explained that this platform is designed to foster and share innovative approaches in the world of sports. Access to the platform will be provided via https://portal.sportsinnovationshub.com, and after registering, all participants had the opportunity to explore its features and usage details. During this review, Resul Erhan, the representative of MOBAD, gave a comprehensive presentation about the technical details of the platform, providing information on its infrastructure and technical operation. Additionally, Ege mentioned that the platform would be ready for testing within a week, and partners would be able to provide feedback on it.
The second session of the meeting continued with a detailed review of the tasks within Work Package 4. In this session, Håkon Ege from COLIN gave a presentation about the tasks, roles, responsibilities, and the contributions of project partners under this work package. The distribution of modules among project partners was also clarified during this presentation. Each module was distributed according to the expertise of the project partners, and the roles and responsibilities of each partner were detailed. These modules will be added to the project’s digital learning platform to create educational content focused on sports innovation.
In addition, various local and international events under Work Package 4 were outlined in the second session. Under this work package, it was planned to organize local training seminars for trainers, teachers, and experts in five countries (Norway, Poland, Croatia, the United Kingdom, and Sweden). Guidelines, checklists, and feedback forms to be used in these seminars were presented by Ege to all partners. It was also agreed that local thematic workshops would be organized for student-athletes in these five countries, with a deadline for completion set for October 20, 2024.
Another important event discussed was the international workshop to be held in Oslo. This workshop, scheduled for October 28-29, 2024, will host 12 young participants. Each project partner will be responsible for sending a designated number of participants to this international event.
The topic of testing the digital platform was also addressed. It was decided that the platform would be tested by a total of 120 young athletes from eight countries, with 15 participants from each country taking part in the digital learning activities. This testing phase was considered a critical step in terms of platform functionality and user experience. Finally, community-building activities were planned, with six hybrid (physical/digital) meetings and various webinars to be organized throughout the project. These events aim to raise awareness in the field of sports innovation and reach a wider audience.
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.
Dear friends of Dual Career,
On behalf of the EAS Executive Committee, I inform you that the 15th EAS Virtual Cafè on “From talent identification to talent support” will be held on Monday March 31, 2024 (from 13:00 CET).
13:00 Welcome – Prof. Antonio Figueiredo, University of Coimbra
13:10 Prof. Challenges and opportunities in talent recognition – Prof, Zoran Milanovic, University of Nis, Serbia
13:25 The holistic approach to talent support in Denmark – Mr. Ole Keldorf, Head of Sport at Elite Sports Academy Aarhus, Denmark
13:40 The talent journey: Guidelines for coaches, parents, teachers – Prof. Nenad Stojiljkovic, University of Nis, Serbia
13:55 General discussions and concluding remarks
Speakers:
Prof. Zoran Milanovic Associate Professor at the Sports and Physical Education Faculty of the University of Niš, Serbia, he has published more than 100 papers in international journal. He is a member of International Network of Sport and Health Science (INSHS)
Mr. Ole Keldorf, Head of Sport at Elite Sports Academy Aarhus, Member of the EAS Executive Committee, Coach educator at the Danish Football Association, Member Advisory Board for Youth Elite in the Danish FE. Author and Editor of several articles and books and talent development.
Prof. Nenad Stojiljkovic, Vice Dean for Science and International Cooperation at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education of the University of Nis, expert of designing research process, with more than 40 scientific prublications. Coordinator of the “FIND ME” and Member of the “TALENT” ERASMUS+Sport projects
You can join the Zoom Meeting at
Moderator
Prof. Antonio Figueiredo, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education of the University of Coimbra, Member of the EAS Executive Committee, expert of youth training and talent identification and development with an emphasis on soccer.
On March 18, 2025, the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) invited European sports stakeholders at the European Parliament to contribute to a consultative meeting on the role of the EU policies in shaping the European Sport Model.
Member of the European Parliament Bogdan Zdrojewski, Vice-Chair of the CULT Committee and rapporteur of the initiative, welcomed the participants, followed by presentation by Iwona Lotysz (Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union) Giorgio Guazzugli-Marini (Acting Head of Sport Unit at the European Commission), and Roberto Pella, (European Committee of the Regions, rapporteur of the opinion on “Building a values-based, bottom-up European sports model: a vehicle for encouraging inclusion and social wellbeing among young Europeans).
Overall, 40 stakeholders participated in the event, with 20 of them providing short speeches in contribution to the European sports policies. Laura Capranica, EAS President, highlighted the importance of European ERASMUS+Sport fundings for cooperative partnerships focused on the sportspersons’ rights to education in and through sports. She highlighted that whilst Europe has been considered a good model and inspiration for countries beyond Europe (recently, a dual career association has been established in Brazil following the EAS example), the tremendous outcomes of the ERASMUS+Sport projects do not always reach the target population at large. To bridge such a gap and to have a positive impact especially in the future generations of athletes, coaches, physical trainers, referees, sports managers, sports scholars, and volunteers, President Capranica suggested the adoption of European policies urging the sport academic institutions and the sport bodies to include relevant European priorities (such as dual career, sport inclusion, sport integrity, safeguarding, etc) in their educational courses.
Dear EAS Members and Dual Career Friends,
wishing you and your family a happy Easter, the EAS Executive Committee is pleased to update you on the recent and future activities.
Recent activities
January 24-26, the Executive Board members Ole Keldorf, António Figueiredo, and Risto Keskitalo (local organizer), conducted an official institutional visit to Oulu, Finland, the European Capital of Culture 2026, to finalize the terms of the agreement between EAS and the Kastelli Upper Secondary School to host the 23rd EAS Annual Conference next October 5-7, 2026. Further information at https://www.dualcareer.eu/institutional-visit-to-oulu-finland-in-preparation-for-the-23rd-eas-annual-conference-and-executive-board-elections-october-5-7-2026/
February 12, 2026, the EAS Executive Board launched the call of paper for the 2026 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship to facilitate the integration of outstanding scholars and young researchers up to 40 years of age in the area of dual career. Before July 1th, 2026 applicants must submit by e-mail to info@dualcareer.eu an original manuscript related to the scope of EAS. The winner will be invited to present her/his work during the EAS Conference with her/his travel, accommodation, and registration arranged by EAS. Further information at https://www.dualcareer.eu/category/news/
March 5, 2026, EAS contributed to the preparation of new proposals for ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships coordinated by highly active and dedicated dual career partners.
March 30, 2026, the 20th virtual EAS cafè with experts and testimonials contributed to the dual career topic “Beyond Winter: Life Between Sport and Study”.
The ongoing EU-funded ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships
DiscoverU (101134052), the Collaborative Partnership coordinated by EUSA (Slovenia) aims to enhance university sport and qualifications of elite athletes for preparing them to the labour market. After having organized Power up Workshops for Elite Athletes, events and webinars, the project entered its third year. Further information is available at https://discoveru.eusa.eu
Find Me (101134043), the Collaborative Partnership coordinated by the University of Nis aims to structure an evidence-based European user-friendly platform specifically tailored for dual career at university level. In entering its third year, a FIND ME transnational meeting was held in Ljubljana (Slovenia) on February 19-20, 2026. The European Universities willing to enhance their visibility can be included in the FIND ME platform by completing in about 5-10 minutes a survey on relevant dual career services and provisions offered to sportspersons enrolled in their courses available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepAQGxS_ftTyxQwCancqkbVibF6uYrKiQh99K1w_dTb7pgxg/viewform.
FOCUS (101243801), the Collaborative Partnership coordinated by NYSA SWEDEN AB aims to establish an innovative and scalable Dual Career co-created framework, ensuring that elite football players can successfully transition from youth to professional sport levels while maintaining educational and career opportunities. On January 22-23, 2026, the kick off meeting of the Project was organized at the Kisakallio Sports Institute (Finland).
The “Find Me” and “FOCUS” projects are co-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.
The ongoing EU-funded Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) projects
Give Sport a Say: Give citizens a real say for the future of the EU in and through sports (101253838), coordinated by the Italian Organisation for Sports (OPES Italy) in cooperation with the European Network of Sport Education (ENSE, Austria), the EU Sport Link (Belgium), the European University Sports Association (EUSA Institute, Slovenia), The Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA, Germany), the Sports Federation Union of Catalonia (UFEC, Spain) and EAS, aims to implement 16 events across Europe to facilitate a thorough discussion and to collect ideas for an advancement of the European culture in and through sports.
The “Give Sport a Say: give citizens a real say for the future of the EU in and through sports” project is co-funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme, within the Citizens engagement call.
Upcoming events
April 15-16, 2026: EAS will participate to the 2026 EU Sport Forum in Paphos, Cyprus, during which the future of EU sport policy, major challenges, and opportunities for cooperation at European level will be addressed. Further information is available at https://sport.ec.europa.eu/whats-new/events/eu-sport-forum-2026
April 23-24, 2026: The EAS Executive Committee will meet in Riga (Latvia) to prepare the EAS Conference, activities, and future actions.
May 2026: EAS will participate to the meeting of the EPAS Council of Europe Governing Board and joint meeting with the EPAS Consultative Committee.
August 24-28, 2026: FISU World Sport Forum “Active Body Healthy Mind: How Impactful Sport can be at Universities” to be held in Östersund (Sweden), which will encompass three subthemes: Healthy Campus – the key for Wellbeing and Excellence; University Sport Events: Driving Change Through Inclusivity and Good Governance; and Dual Career friendly Universities. Further information is available at https://www.fisu.net/events/2026-ostersund-fisu-world-forum/
August 31 to September 2, 2026: EAS will participate to the V International Seminar on Dual Career in Sport (V SIDUCA) organized by the Associação Brasileira Sobre Dupla Carreira Esportiva in Brasília (Brazil), consolidating itself as one of the leading academic and scientific forums on dual career at the international level. Further information is available at at https://www.dcbrasil.org/informações
Bengt Nybelius Scholarship
July 1 (midnight CET): To be eligible for the 2026 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship, applicants up to 40 years of age must submit their original work related to the scope of EAS by e-mail to info@dualcareer.eu. More information is available at https://www.dualcareer.eu/category/news/
Virtual EAS Cafè
Members of the dual career family are invited to suggest interesting dual career topics to be addressed during the spring, summer, fall, and winter EAS Cafè.
EAS Conference
October 5-7, 2026: the Kastelli Upper Secondary School (Finland) will host in Oulu the 2026 EAS Annual Conference, which is the most important opportunity for the members of the dual career community to elect the Executive Board Elections, and to be informed on the best practices at local, regional, and national levels, to share the findings and outcomes of EU-funded dual career projects, and to recognize the young researcher awarded the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship. The final deadline for abstract submission is September 13, 2026.
Further information will be posted on the official ES website www.dualcareer.eu and social media https://www.facebook.com/eas.dualcareer
Special thanks to the Members of the EAS Executive Committee and to the EAS family (https://www.dualcareer.eu/membership/) for their continuous commitment to the European dual career culture.
Prof. Laura Capranica,
EAS President
Dear friends of Dual Career,
On behalf of the EAS Executive Committee, I inform you that the 20th EAS Virtual Cafè on “Beyond Winter: Life Between Sport and Study” will be held on Monday March 30, 2026 (from 13:00 CET). This event is organized in conjunction with the project “Give Sport a Say” (CERV-101253838), which aims to foster the civil dialogue on future of sport policy in connection with health, equality and youth.
13:10 Welcome
Mrs. Sara Massini
Sara Massini, psychologist, is the head of European and International affair department of OPES, Italian umbrella organization for grassroots sport under the Italian Olympic Committee structure. Former secretary general of ENGSO and youth leader within the Italian youth Council and European youth forum, she has a long experience in advocacy, policy and project management in the areas of sport and youth both at National and European level.
13:10 From my dual career to the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Mrs. Diana Bianchedi, MD
Diana Bianchedi is gold medallist in fencing (foil) at the 1992 and 2000 Olympic Games, and at five World Championships. Graduated in Medicine and specialized in Sport Medicine, Diana is the Vice President of the Italian Olympic Committee and the Chief Strategy Planning & Legacy Officer of 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games. She is actively supporting the dual career of athletes, being also the mother of Giulia Amore, elite fencer graduated in Economics, Management and Computer Science.
13:20 European Week of Winter Sport – from the ERASMUS+Sport project to a movement for future outlooks.
Mr. Andrej Pisl, MS
Andrej Pisl, EUSA Director of Projects and Policy, is in charge of European projects and policy, linking university sport with European values, organisations and institutions. He has over 25 years of experience in the field of sport in higher education, and currently holds a position as a Consultative Committee bureau member of the Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS). He is an advocate for equality, inclusion and sport for all, also actively promoting and supporting dual career pathways. Andrej holds a Master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Ljubljana, and is currently a PhD student at the University of Rome Foro Italico.
13:30 Shooting for Two Goals: What Elite Biathletes Say About Managing Sport and Education: Preliminary Findings of the ERASMUS+Sport DC4B Project. – Prof. Małgorzata Maria Sławińska, PhD
Prof. Małgorzata Maria Sławińska, PhD, is an assistant professor and Head of the Department of Social Sciences at the Institute of Sport – National Research Institute in Warsaw. Her research interests focus on sport and physical activity psychology, with particular emphasis on the role of affect in physical activity, mental health and burnout in sport, and dual-career challenges. She is the author of peer-reviewed scientific publications and integrates theoretical and empirical perspectives with practical solutions for elite sport and the general population. She leads the Erasmus+ Sport DC4Biathletes.
13:40 The Winter Olympic Athlete’s Experience
Mrs. Anina Zurbriggen
Mrs. Anina Zuebriggen is an alpine skier, born in Switzerland, living in Bulgaria, having Bulgarian and Swiss citizenship. In 2026 she represented Bulgaria at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina and she is studying Biomedical Science at the University of Fribourg (SUI).
13:50 General discussions and concluding remarks
We wish you a great weekend and we look forward to meeting you for this important dual career event.
You can join the Zoom Meeting at https://uni-lj-si.zoom.us/j/97257339611 (Meeting ID: 972 5733 9611)
Feel free to share this information with your colleagues, students, coaches, sports managers, and other sport actors.
Looking forward to meeting you again!
“Give Sport a Say 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 granting authority European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”
REG. NUMBER: Voluntary Organisation registration VO/1270
PIC NUMBER: 913459865
Email: info@dualcareer.eu