On May 19, 2025, the 16th EAS Cafè “Sport Innovation: Promoting Employability of Student-Athletes and Sport Professionals” was organized in cooperation with the ERASMUS+Sport COMPATH project (101050955) and attended by approximately 70 participants from diverse backgrounds, including students, academics, and sports professionals.
Mr. Hakon Ege (Colin Collective Innovation, Oslo, Norway) illustrated the aims and outcomes of the COMPATH project (101050955), introduced the speakers, and moderated the discussion on how emerging sports technologies are reshaping career opportunities within the sports industry.
Ms. Eleni Mageirou, MSc (NYSA Sweden, Jönköping, Sweden) presented practical examples on the wearable technologies used in field sport evaluation, which also nurture advanced skills of athletes involved in their personal and team data collections and interpretations. Dr. Christopher James Keating, PhD (ACSM-EP, UCAM, Murcia, Spain) gave an overview of the Esports and EGaming of university Spanish teams participating in national and international competitions, which are provided full logistic, psychological, and dual career support, being eSport athletes officially included in dual career university paths. Finally, dr. Mauro Mandorino, PhD (Parma Calcio, Parma, Italy) highlighted the opportunities provided by smart science and how technology is used, and data collection is organized at Parma Calcio for shaping professional soccer players performances.
The shared expertise of the speakers inspired attendees to delve deeper into topics of interest and foster meaningful discussions around dual career pathways, making this event a success and looking forward to continuing these valuable discussions in the future.
The event also informed on the upcoming events encompassing the 2025 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship (deadline July 1, 2025; https://www.dualcareer.eu/call-for-papers-bengt-nybelius-scholarship-2025/) and the 2025 EAS Annual Conference to be held on October 6-8, 2025 in Riga, Latvia. These announcements were met with enthusiasm, further underlining the growing importance of dual career initiatives in sport.
Further information about the COMPATH project – Promoting Employability of Young Student-Athletes through ‘‘Competence Hub’’ on Sport Innovationis – is available at https://sportsinnovationshub.com
COMPATH 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 May 16, 2025, the Partners of the FIND ME ERASMUS+Sport project gathered in Oslo, Norway, to participate in the third transnational meeting, hosted by Collective Innovation AS (COLIN). FIND ME aims to support student-athletes by providing a multilingual, user-friendly platform to access dual career opportunities in higher education.
Burak Caliskan and Ege Hakon welcomed the participants and summarized the progression of the project, including the two scientific papers summarizing the evidence- (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1566208/abstract) and eminence-based (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1507951/full?utm_source=F-NTF)
research necessary to develop a sound FIND ME platform. The Partners agreed to further analyse the findings of the FIND ME survey and semi-structured interview to be disseminated to the scientific community.
Matteo Perissinotto (OKKAM), presented the technical architecture of the platform, including its multilingual and modular design, and highlighted the data gathering based on previous research and stakeholder inputs. Then, the Partners discussed how to engage universities in the project, also considering the resources available at www.whed.net. Nenad Stojiljkovic (University of Nis) proposed to increment the visibility of FIND Me through promotional gadget with the project logo (e.g., bags, notebooks, patches, etc.), whereas partners will keep sharing posts and pictures of the project activities and communication/dissemination.
At the end of the meeting, the Partners had the opportunity to visit the museum of winter sports and the sky jumping trampoline.
More information on the project will be provided during the 2025 EAS Conference to be held in Riga, Latvia, next October 6-8.
FIND ME 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 May 14 and 15, 2025, the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe (COE) held the annual meeting of its Governing Board and Consultative Committee in Strasbourg, France.
On May 14 the 41 country representatives of Governing board and the 30 sports organisations of the Consultative Committee participated in separate in-camera meetings. The Consultative Committee discussed the activities to promote the European Sports Charter, the implementation of its Term of Reference, and the upcoming events. They also elected Guido Battaglia (Centre for Sport and Human Rights) as a member of the bureau to complete the current mandate.
On May 15 the joint meeting and the launch of the new joint project of the European Union and Council of Europe “Sport for All – Promoting inclusion and combating discrimination against persons with disabilities” took place. The EPAS past activities and the implementation of the 2024-2025 strategy and the draft strategy for 2026-2027 were summarized, whereas the draft guidelines on “safer recruitment in sport: human rights-compliant screening of professionals and volunteers in contact with children”, the Resolution on “Collaborative governing and good governance in sport: supporting a fresh approach to match its societal importance”, and the 19th Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport, to be hosted by Monaco in November 2026 were discussed. Then, on the lawn of the Council of Europe the participants took part in a training session of blind football.
For the next two years, the new elected Chair of the Governing Board Bureau will be Solene Charuau (France) whereas Ioanna Paraskevopoulou (Cyprus) will act as Vice-Chair, and Antonio Parrilla (Italy), Simon De Coster (Belgium), Marija Jurcevic (Croatia) and Elnur Mammadov (Azerbaijan) as members. Solene Charuau will also act as the Gender Equality Rapporteur.
More information, is available at www.coe.int/epas.
The Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe (COE) provided also an opportunity for disseminating the ERASMUS+Sport projects in which EAS is currently collaborating: COMPATH (101050955) https://sportsinnovationshub.com; DC Mentor (101132309) https://dcmentor.eu, DiscoverU (101134052) https://discoveru.eusa.eu, Find Me (101134043) https://findmeproject.net, Smart Start for DC (101133555) https://www.facebook.com/p/Smart-Start-4-DC-61556732943039/, and Talent (101090147) https://talent-edu.eu.
The COMPATH (101050955) Project’s final transnational meeting took place in Oslo on May 6, hosted by Collective Innovation (COLIN), with the active participation of all project partners. The meeting focused on reviewing the project’s progress and discussing the remaining tasks as the project approaches its conclusion.
The meeting opened with a welcome by the host institution, from Håkon Ege by COLIN, followed by updates on the development and piloting of the digital learning modules that form the backbone of the COMPATH platform. A detailed review was presented regarding the assignment of piloting responsibilities for the 12 modules across the project partners.
Each partner is now carrying out localized implementations of the modules based on their expertise and regional needs. The participants expressed overall satisfaction with the progress achieved and the collaborative spirit demonstrated throughout the COMPATH project.
Following this, discussions were held on ongoing and upcoming dissemination activities. For a multiplier event, EAS committed to launch the 16th EAS online Cafè on “Sport Innovation: Promoting employability of student-athletes and sport professionals” to be held on Monday May 19, 2025 (from 13:00 CET), which is central to sharing the project results with wider audiences.
The meeting concluded with reflections from all project partners, reassuring their commitment to disseminating the project’s outcomes and sustaining its impact beyond the project’s official end.
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 16th EAS Virtual Cafè on “Sport Innovation: Promoting employability of student-athletes and sport professionals” will be held on Monday May 19, 2025 (from 13:00 CET).
Technology plays a relevant role for employabiity in sport, and the key aim of the ERASMUS+Sport COMPATH project (101050955).
13:00 Welcome – Hakon Ege, Colin Collective Innovation, Oslo, Norway
13:10 Wearables, technology and supporting Student Athletes – Eleni Mageirou, MSc, NYSA Sweden, Jönköping, Sweden
13:25 Esports and EGaming of university student-athletes – Christopher James Keating, PhD, ACSM-EP, UCAM, Murcia, Spain
13:40 Smart Science: How Technology and Data Shape Performance at Parma Calcio – Mauro Mandorino, PhD, Parma Calcio, Parma, Italy
13:55 General discussions and concluding remarks
We look forward to meeting you for this important dual career event
On April 28–29, 2025, a transantional meeting of the ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnership Smart Start for Dual Careers project was held in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The project is currently in a key development phase, focusing on the creation of a test version of the online platform and the design of MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) tools – free online courses tailored to young people, teachers, and sports coaches. The content will include video materials, interactive tasks, quizzes, and certificates, all aimed at helping students balance their education and sports development.
During the meeting, the participants from the Partner organizations (Sportsko učilište PESG, Croatia; EAS – The Dual Career Network, Malta; Champions Factory, Bulgaria – meeting host; MindSpin, Cyprus; Edirne Kırkpınar Spor Lisesi, Turkey; and APS ASD Margherita Sport e Vita, Italy) discussed in detail the platform’s structure, functionality, visual identity, accessibility, and user experience. Particular emphasis was placed on ease of use, personalized content, and user motivation. Ideas were presented for integrating instructors, customized avatars, and video materials that will be accessible through both the platform and YouTube.
In addition to technical aspects, the team also focused on communication strategy. It was concluded that a strong digital presence is essential, and that social media activities, along with outreach through schools and sports clubs, will play a vital role in the project’s dissemination efforts.
The project team agreed on the next steps, which include pilot testing with young people in partner countries, developing supporting educational materials, and final technical adjustments to the platform. Once completed, the platform will offer digital certificates upon successful completion of the modules, giving learners official recognition for their efforts.
Stay connected with Smart Start for Dual Careers on social media!
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556732943039
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/smartstartdualcareer/
Dear EAS Members and Dual Career Friends,
the EAS Executive Committee wishes you a happy Easter and takes the opportunity to update you on the recent and future activities.
Recent activities
February 20-21: The EAS Executive Board held its first in-person 2025 meeting in Frankfurt (Germany) , during which the activities of the Network have been organized and the 2024 activity and financial reports unanimously approved (https://www.dualcareer.eu/the-eas-executive-committee-meets-in-frankfurt/).
March 17: The EAS President visited the Headquarter of CISM to meet CISM Secretary General Navy Captain Roberto Recchia, CISM Academic Director Lieutenant-Commander Florentia Sfakianou, and dr. Andrea Carletti from Sport4Impact (https://www.dualcareer.eu/eas-meeting-the-international-military-sports-council-cism-and-the-sport-4-impact-in-brussels/).
March 18: The EAS President participated with other stakeholders to a consultative meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) on the role of the EU policies in shaping the European Sport Model (https://www.dualcareer.eu/eas-invited-at-the-european-parliament-as-a-stakeholders-to-the-eu-policies-in-shaping-the-european-sport-model/).
March 31: The 15th EAS online Cafè “From talent identification to talent support” has been organized in cooperation with the consortium of the ERASMUS+Sport TALENT (Cloud-based education for creative sport talents- 101090147) project (https://www.dualcareer.eu/the-15th-eas-cafe-on-dual-career-for-talented-athletes/).
April 1: EAS reminded to send long abstracts (5-15 pages) before April 27, 2025 to be published in the monograph Dual Career in School and University – Innovative Bridges between Sport and Education https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1085273800304586&set=pb.100064659286748.-2207520000
April 10-11: The EAS President participated in the EU Sport Forum 2025 in Kraków, Poland, which provided a unique opportunity to envisage the advancement of EU sport policies through a high-level dialogue. https://www.dualcareer.eu/eu-sport-forum-2025-in-krakow-poland/
April 11: The Talent Team met in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to celebrate the project’s achievements, to share knowledge, and to plan for the future of this impactful project dedicated to fostering equal education, preventing exclusion, and supporting dual careers for young athletes. https://www.dualcareer.eu/talent-project-concludes-successful-final-event-in-sarajevo/
April 14: The Call for the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship has been launched. Researchers up to 40 years of age could be eligible for the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship by submitting as first author an original manuscript related to the scope of EAS before July 1st, 2024 (midnight CET) by e-mail to info@dualcareer.eu. By July 31, 2024, the winner will be informed that EAS will arrange travel, accommodation, and registration at the Annual EAS Conference to be held in Riga, Latvia on October 6-8, 2025. https://www.dualcareer.eu/call-for-papers-bengt-nybelius-scholarship-2025/
April 15: The EAS President participated in the EUSA-NUSA online meeting focused on possible implementation of university sport, during which the new initiatives at EUSA, Croatian Academic Sport Federation, Polish University Sport Association, University of Salerno, Hungarian University Sport Federation, and the Dual Career Network have been presented. https://www.dualcareer.eu/discoveru-at-the-online-eusa-nusa-meeting/
The ongoing EU-funded ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships
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.
COMPATH (101050955), the Collaborative Partnership coordinated by COLLECTIVE INNOVATION AS (Norway) aims to Promote Employability of Young Student-Athletes through ‘‘Competence Hub’’ on Sport Innovation. Drawing inspiration from the findings from a study on the educational needs of young people who are aiming for a career in sports innovation, and the development of Digital Sport Innovation Competence Hub. The final event will be held in Oslo next May 6, 2025. https://sportsinnovationshub.com
DC Mentor (101132309), the Collaborative Partnership coordinated by Sports Tech Consulting Education Tourism Organization Trade Limited Company (Turkeye) aims to Advancing Athlete Employability through Career Mentorship and Education. In particular, the project is designed to offer assistance to athlete for mitigating their difficulties in pursuing dual careers through tools and solutions in relation to life skills, future skills and 21th century skills. On June 17, 2025, the University of Murcia, Spain, will host the next transnational project meeting. Further information is available at https://dcmentor.eu
DiscoverU (101134052), the Collaborative Partnership coordinated by EUSA (Slovenia) aims to assess qualifications of elite athletes and to prepare them to the labour market. The project will develop e-learning materials for a Future Skills Curriculum, an Athlete Career Mentorship Platform Work, and organize Power up Workshops for Elite Athletes. Events and webinars. Last April 15, DiscoverU presented new opportunities for university sport at the EUSA-NUSA webinar. 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. On March 10, 2025, the Find Me Team organized an online meeting to finalize the online platform providing information about dual career opportunities at university level based on the findings of a survey recently published on an open access scientific journal (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1507951/full?utm_source=F-NTF). Further information is available at https://findmeproject.net.
Smart Start for DC (101133555), The Collaborative Partnership coordinated by Sportsko Uciliste PESG (Croatia) aims to encourage the dual career of young high school athletes aged 14 and 19. on February 4, 2025, the SmartStart4DC Team met online to align the goals and methodologies for the creation of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on transversal skills for empowering youth athletes aged 14 to 19 years and helping them juggling training, classes, and personal life (https://www.dualcareer.eu/online-meeting-of-the-smart-start-for-dc-team/). Further information is available at https://www.facebook.com/p/Smart-Start-4-DC-61556732943039/
Talent (101090147), the Collaborative Partnership coordinated by the Uciliste Centar Izvrsnosti Splitsko-Dalmatinske Zupanije Ustanova Za Obrazovanje Odraslih (Croatia) aims to develop a cloud-based education for creative sport talents. Further information is available at https://talent-edu.eu. The Talent Project Consortium Board held its last online meeting on March 4, presented the Talent Guidelines during the 15th EAS cafè on March 31, and held the final transnational meeting in Sarajevo on April 10-11 https://www.dualcareer.eu/talent-project-concludes-successful-final-event-in-sarajevo/. Further information is available at https://talent-edu.eu
Upcoming events
April 27: Deadline for submission of manuscripts to the Monograph Dual Career in School and University – Innovative Bridges between Sport and Education. For further information: prof. Rajmund Tomik (r.tomik@awf.katowice.pl).
April 28-29: Transnational Meeting of the ERASMUS+Sport project Smart Start for DC to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
May 6: Final event of the ERASMUS+Sport project COMPATH to be held in Olso, Norvegia.
May 14-15: EAS will participate to the 19th meeting of the EPAS Council of Europe Governing Board and joint meeting with the EPAS Consultative Committee.
May 15-16: The Member of the EAS Executive Committee Laurence Blondel will take part in the event Dual Career & International Mobility: Connect with a network of universities supporting student-athletes, to be held in Lyon (France) by the ERASMUS+Sport SAMEurope Consortium. On May 15, a cocktail party with front row seats to watch the elite cycling Criterium of the Tri’Crit’Races is planned. Registration to the event is required before 20 April at https://www.sameuropeproject.eu/dual-career-event-may-2025/.
May 16-17: Transnational Meeting of the ERASMUS+Sport project Find Me to be held in Oslo, Norvegia.
May-June: The 16th EAS cafè will be organized. Invitation will be posted on the EAS website (https://www.dualcareer.eu)
Bengt Nybelius Scholarship
July 1 (midnight CET): To be eligible for the 2025 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/call-for-papers-bengt-nybelius-scholarship-2025/).
EAS Conference
October 6-8: the University of Latvia will host the 2025 EAS Annual Conference “Dual Career of Elite Athletes: Integrating Sport and Education for Future Success”.The Conference is the most important opportunity for the dual career community to be informed on the best practices at local, regional, and national levels, the findings and outcomes of EU-funded dual career projects, and the recognition of researchers awarded the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship. The final deadline for abstract submission is September 13, 2025.
Special thanks to the EAS Members for renovating their involvement in our Network (https://www.dualcareer.eu/membership/) and to the Members of the EAS Executive Committee for strong commitment to the advancement of the European dual career culture.
Prof. Laura Capranica,
EAS President
On April 15, 2025, more than 40 representatives from 23 countries attended the online EUSA-NUSA meeting to be updated on EUSA activities and the advancement of the ERASMUS+Sport project DiscoverU project. The EUSA President Adam Roczek, the Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik, the Sports Coordinator Eszter Gulyas welcomed the participants and presented recent EUSA university sport initiatives.
Before moderating the presentations, Andrej Pisl, EUSA Director of Projects and Policy, highlighted the Runners4All – European Students Run, to be held in October 2025 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, offering an important opportunity for university student participation.
Then, Marja Panijan illustrated the new sports activities and the UniSport Health programme introduced by Croatian Academic Sport Federation (CASF/HASS). Marianna Pikul, University Sports Association of Poland (AZS), presented the introduction of new university championships and grassroots events developed through DiscoverU support. Francis Cirianni anticipated the activities carried out in preparation of the EUSA Games in 2026 at the University of Salerno, Italy. Agnes Ancic-Valkai, Hungarian University Sports Federation (HUSF/MEFS), delineated the combination of competitive and recreational elements of the new format of the multisport MEFOB Festival, which was aligned with the DiscoverU vision. Laura Capranica, EAS President, summarized the efforts of the Network to support dual career development through awareness campaigns, stakeholder dialogue, and online engagement, including the popular EAS Cafés and the annual EAS Conference.
The next in-person meeting of DiscoverU partners will be organized in October 2025 during the Ljubljana Marathon and European Students Run, accompanied by a dedicated project conference.
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.
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – The TALENT Project, an initiative dedicated to fostering equal education, preventing exclusion, and supporting dual careers for young athletes, successfully concluded its final event on April 11, 2025. Over two days, project partners gathered in Sarajevo to celebrate achievements, share knowledge, and plan for the future of this impactful project program.
Day One: “Feed Your Talent” Dissemination Event
The first day of the event featured the “Feed Your Talent” dissemination event, held at the Faculty of Sport in Sarajevo. Over 60 participants, including representatives from EAS and various sports organizations, and young athletes, attended this inspiring session.
During the event, project results were presented, highlighting milestones achieved in promoting equal opportunities and preparing young athletes for both their athletic and professional futures. The introduction of the E-STOP platform was a key moment, showcasing an innovative tool designed to support dual career pathways. Video testimonials from successful athletes added a personal touch, sharing experiences that inspired and motivated attendees.
Day Two: Transnational project meeting
On the second day, partners focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability of the TALENT Project. Discussions centered on feedback from participants, follow-up activities, and the roles of consortium partners in maintaining the project’s momentum until its conclusion in May 2025. Key topics included reviewing project achievements, planning communication and dissemination strategies, and assigning tasks to ensure a smooth final reporting process to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).
Mojca Doupona (EAS representative) actively participated in these discussions, contributing insights from EAS on how to effectively support athletes in their dual careers.
As the consortium moves forward, the focus will remain on leveraging the E-STOP platform and fostering collaboration among partners to ensure that the TALENT Project’s impact endures beyond its formal conclusion. With a strong foundation laid, the future looks bright for the next generation of dual career athletes.
For more information about the TALENT Project, visit https://talent-edu.eu/#
The TALENT 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.
Bengt Nybelius, together with Risto Keskitalo, the founder of the European Athlete as Student Network (EAS), was a brilliant mind, who settled the objectives and the structure of the organisation in 2004. He passed away in 2011, and EAS decided to establish a scholarship to carry on the legacy of his work. Therefore, we are happy to announce the Call for Paper of the “2025 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship”
Aims of the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship
The aim of the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship is to facilitate the integration of outstanding scholars and young researchers in the area of dual career.
Eligibility to the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship
Regardless the nationality and country of residence, researchers up to 40 years of age could be eligible for the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship.
Requirements to apply to the 2025 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship
Applicants must submit as first author an original manuscript related to the scope of EAS. Manuscripts must not contain information presented in other manuscripts published elsewhere.
The manuscript should be written in English, between 15 and 30 pages double-spaced in Arial font size 11, including title page, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusions, acknowledgments (if applicable), references, tables, figures and legends, and statement of conflicts of interest.
Manuscripts must be accompanied by a cover letter, stating clearly why the work is considered suitable for the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship and explaining the importance of the study.
Selection of the 2025 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship Winner
The Board of EAS will consider the quality of submitted manuscripts and notify the winner by July 31, 2025. The winner has to summarize her/his work with a 15-minute oral presentation in English at the 2025 Annual EAS Conference in Riga, Latvia, October 6-8.
EAS will arrange travel, accommodation, and registration of the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship winner.
Application to the 2025 to disseminate Bengt Nybelius Scholarship
To be considered for the 2025 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship applicants before July 1st, 2025 (midnight CET) must submit by e-mail to info@dualcareer.eu, including:
Requests of further information, if needed, could be addressed to info@dualcareer.eu. We are looking forward to receiving your application!
On behalf of the Board of EAS
Laura Capranica