Author: duponam
The #BeActive Award Ceremony 2024 and the ERASMUS+Sport InfoDay took place in Brussels on November 26 and December 16, respectively.
The #BeActive Award recognizes the individuals and organizations committed to the promotion active lifestyles and sports participation in Europe. Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen (Director-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture) welcomed the 12 finalists of the #BeActive Education, Workplace, Local Hero, and Across Generation award categories and Diana Bianchedi (Chief Strategy Planning & Legacy Officer of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games) delivered a keynote speech. 2024 winners were SportUnion Austria (AUT) for Education, Metropolis of Lyon (FRA) for Workplace, Alessio Bernabo (ITA) for Local Hero, and Foundation of Sport Development Espanola (POL) for Across Generation Awards, respectively. More information om the finalists and the winners is available at https://sport.ec.europa.eu/news/2024-beactive-awards-and-the-winners-are
Following the publication of the ERASMUS+ Programme Guide (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-programme-guide), th e European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) organized in cooperation with the Sport Unit of the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) the ERASMUS+Sport Info Day 2025. This event aims to present the policies in the field of sports and to provide a tremendous platform for networking with potential partners to the funding opportunities available in this area. Sophie Beernaerts (Director of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency – EACEA) welcomed the on-site and remote audience and Glenn Micallef (European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport) introduced the main challenges of his mandate.
The first plenary focused on the key sports policies and development, as well as the stakeholders’ findings from the SHARE 2.0 initiative. The second plenary session was dedicated to the opportunities and challenges experienced by participants of Erasmus+ sport programme. In particular, as a good practice Andrej Pisl (EUSA Institute) mentioned the coordination of the EU-funded project Discovering university sport and supporting dual career (DiscoverU), particularly mentioning EAS as one of its partners. In the afternoon, three parallel sessions addressed opportunities for mobility of sport staff, for applying to the Sport and the Capacity Building main calls. Georg Haussler, Director of Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture closed the event. The recordings and presentations will be available at https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/events/info-session-erasmus-sport-2025-2024-12-16_en. Deadline for new application to the ERASMUS+projects is March 5, 2025: 17:00 CET.
Dear Dual Career Friends and Colleagues,
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season embracing the best of this year to renew our good will towards the dual career of the sportspersons.
In 2024, EAS continued the successful experience of virtual cafes to allow the dual career community to hear the experiences and visions of experts and testimonial regarding “Students-Athletes Facing the Olympic Games”, “University Sports – From Active Lifestyles to Dual Career”, and “Military Sport: Dual Career Opportunities and Challenges”.
During this year, EAS implemented fruitful partnerships with International Organizations in Sports by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Network of Sport Education (ENSE) and with the Associacao Brasileira sobre Dupla Carreira Esportiva (ABDC), and by participating in the 18th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport, the celebration of the EUSA 25th Anniversary, the Erasmus+ BeActive Award, and the Erasmus+ Infoday. Furthermore, the Italian Scientific Society of Movement and Sports (SISMES) presented a Recognition Plaque to President Laura Capranica for her commitment to the advancement of dual career in Italy.
During the Annual General Assembly held in Katowice, Poland, the past and future actions of EAS were discussed and the 2025 EAS Conference to be held in Zagreb, Croatia (October 1-3) was presented.
Furthermore, EAS endorses the creation of the “University Research Network of Dual Mentoring for High Level Athletes-Students” (RUMDE) funded by the Superior Council of Sports of the Government of Spain, composed of 8 universities and 20 researchers. Its objective is to design a dual mentoring model valid for all Spanish universities adapted to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
The EU-funded ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships and Capacity Building
Through oral presentations and distribution of the projects’ flyers, EAS disseminated to scholars and policy makers the aims and progresses of the following ongoing projects at international conferences (ABDC, Sao Paulo, Brazil September 15-17; SISMeS, Chieti-Pescara, Italy, September 20-22; 2024 Ministerial Conference of EPAS Council of Europe, October 8-10, Porto, Portugal; ENSE Forum, Tirana, Albania, November 2-3). Furthermore, the EAS activities have been reported in the EAS website and summarized as follow:
COMPATH (101050955). On February 26, NYSA hasted in Stockholm (Sweden) the project meeting to discuss the future phases for creating new opportunities for young professionals in the sports industry (https://www.dualcareer.eu/discover-how-our-compath-project-supports-the-sports-industry-by-empowering-young-sports-professionals/), and on September 17 PESG hosted in Zagreb (Croatia) during which the gamification-based digital “Competence Hub” platform has been introduced and thematic workshops for student-athletes have been planned (https://www.dualcareer.eu/report-from-the-compath-project-meeting/). Further information is available at https://sportsinnovationshub.com
DC Mentor (101132309). On March 1, the kickoff meeting of the DCMentor project took place in Oslo (Norway) to discuss tools and solutions that will aid athletes in balancing dual careers, including life skills, future skills, and 21th century skills (https://www.dualcareer.eu/we-are-starting-the-dc-mentor-project/). The second project meeting was held in Katowice (Poland) on September 30 to summarize the completed outputs and to plan future steps, including the possibility to develop a specific module on “Mental Toughness” module (https://www.dualcareer.eu/report-from-the-dc-mentor-project/). Further information is available at https://dcmentor.eu
DiscoverU (101134052). On April 22, the 13th EAS online Cafè has been organized in cooperation with the EUSA Institute to address the role of university sports for enhancing sport participation and active lifestyles of university students, which is the focus of the ERASMUS+ Cooperative Partnership DiscoverU (https://www.dualcareer.eu/the-eas-eusa-cafe-university-sports-from-active-lifestyles-to-dual-career/). On May 30-31, the Croatian Academic Sports Federation organized in Porec (Croatia) the second project meeting as part of the 2nd International Scientific Conference 4 Healthy Academic Society, during which the undertaken and future activities have been summarized (https://www.dualcareer.eu/discoveru-project-meeting-held-in-porec/). To highlight the importance of collaboration and involvement of educated youth for the development of future leaders encouraging the active lifestyles of university students the project partners gathered at the University of Debrecen (Hungary) on July 13 as part of the “EUSA Forum 2024: Synergies in university sport development” (https://www.dualcareer.eu/third-transnational-meeting-of-the-discoveru-project-in-debrecen-miskolc-hungary/). During the 2024 EAS Conference in Katowice (Poland), Andrej Pisl (EUSA Institute) presented “DiscoverU – Discovering University Sport and Supporting Dual Career” highlighting the aims and opportunities of the project (https://eas24.awf.katowice.pl/fcp/BGBUKOQtTKlQhbx08SlkTUQFQX2o8DAoHNiwFE1wZDyEPG1gnBVcoFW8SBDRKTxMKRy0SODwBBAEIMQheCFVAORFCHzY/25/public/conference_book-2.pdf). Further information is available at https://www.eusa.eu/search?s=discoverU
Find Me (101134043). On February 15, 2024, the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education of the University of Nis (Serbia) organized the kick-off meeting of the FIND ME project with the primary aim to structure an evidence-based European platform specifically tailored for sportspersons looking for the best option dual career to enroll at university level in Europe (https://www.dualcareer.eu/the-project-find-me-university-dual-career-opportunity-has-been-launched/). The second transnational meeting was held at the University of Chieti-Pescara (Italy) on September 5-6 to discuss the content and structure of the FIND ME platform (https://www.dualcareer.eu/new-steps-for-dual-career-athletes-find-me-project-partners-gathered-in-italy/). From November 22-24, the partners gathered in Iasi (Romania) as part of the international conference Football of the Future-Between Science, Society and Sports (https://www.dualcareer.eu/awareness-raising-activity-event-find-me-erasmus-project/), during which Nenad Stojiljkovic (University of Nis) presented the project as part of his keynote speech “Dual career of football players across the Europe”. The meeting allowed to share the progression of the scientific evidence on sportspersons’ opinions on dual career measures at university level. During the 2024 EAS Conference in Katowice (Poland), Nenad Stojiljkovic (University of Nis) presented “FIND ME: University Dual Career Opportunities” highlighting the aims and outcomes of the project (https://eas24.awf.katowice.pl/fcp/BGBUKOQtTKlQhbx08SlkTUQFQX2o8DAoHNiwFE1wZDyEPG1gnBVcoFW8SBDRKTxMKRy0SODwBBAEIMQheCFVAORFCHzY/25/public/conference_book-2.pdf). Further information is available at https://findmeproject.net.
Smart Start for DC (101133555). The Sports School PESG (Croatia), coordinator of the project, organized the kick off meeting in Zagreb on March 25-26 to discuss the key elements and project phases necessary to produce quality outputs for supporting the development of dual careers of young student athletes (14 – 19) through strengthening their transversal/transferable skills. On July 5-6, MindSpin hosted the second transnational meeting in Nicosia (Cyprus), during which the educational modules developed from the outcomes of desk search, semi-structured interviews and surveys were discussed (https://www.dualcareer.eu/second-transnational-meeting-of-smart-start-for-dc-in-cyprus/). During the 2024 EAS Conference in Katowice (Poland), Renato Vuk (PESG) presented “Smart Start for DC – encouraging the dual career of young high school athletes” highlighting the aims and opportunities of the project (https://eas24.awf.katowice.pl/fcp/BGBUKOQtTKlQhbx08SlkTUQFQX2o8DAoHNiwFE1wZDyEPG1gnBVcoFW8SBDRKTxMKRy0SODwBBAEIMQheCFVAORFCHzY/25/public/conference_book-2.pdf). Further information is available at https://www.eusa.eu/search?s=discoverU
Sports as Value (101093451), on June 25 the Montenegrin Olympic Committee hosted a project meeting in Podgorica (Montenegro) in conjunction of the Olympic Day organized with UNHCR and local clubs, during which local children and children from refugee backgrounds participated together to different sports tournaments. During the 2024 EAS Conference (October 1-3) in Katowice (Poland), Faton Tishukaj and Florian Miftari (University of Prishtina, Kosovo) presented the Societal Impact and Development of Grassroots Sports in the Western Balkans: Insights from the ‘Sports as Value’ Project (November 2024 the Kosovo Olympic Committee hosted in Pristina (Kosovo) the European Sport Platform on “Values of Sport: Building Bridges in a United Europe” (https://www.engso-education.eu/european-sport-platform/), encompassing also the final conference of Sports as Value project (https://www.dualcareer.eu/final-conference-of-sports-as-value-in-pristina-kosovo/). In building the capacity of sport managers and coaches in the Balkan region for promoting the positive impact of grassroots sports and the values in and through sport, best practices collected in Albania, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Portugal, and some other Member States have been presented. Further information is available at https://www.engso-education.eu/sports-as-value/
Talent (101090147). On June 3-4 the Center for Social Innovation hosted in Nicosia (Cyprus) the 4th project meeting https://www.dualcareer.eu/transnational-partners-meeting-iof-talent-project-n-nicosia/ to develop a cloud-based education for creative sport talents following the finalization of the Methodological Handbook with Standards for the Detection and Assessment of the Potential of Talented Children in Sport https://talent-edu.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3.2.-Methodology-Handbook.pdf. During the 2024 EAS Conference in Katowice (Poland), Antonio Scardina (University of Palermo) presented The Identification of Standards by Teachers and Coaches for Talent Recognition and Promote Dual Careers. Results from Talent Project (https://eas24.awf.katowice.pl/fcp/BGBUKOQtTKlQhbx08SlkTUQFQX2o8DAoHNiwFE1wZDyEPG1gnBVcoFW8SBDRKTxMKRy0SODwBBAEIMQheCFVAORFCHzY/25/public/conference_book-2.pdf). Further information is available at https://talent-edu.eu
Upcoming events
April 16-17: Under the Belgian Presidency of the European Union, the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture of the European Commission will organize the 2024 EU Sport Forum in Liege (Belgium) The event will bring together policy maker and representatives from sports organizations to discuss challenges and envisage opportunities for the European Sport.
April 22: 13th EAS Cafè “University Sports: From Active Lifestyles to Dual Career”
EAS Conference
May 14, 2025, 17th Plenary meeting of the EPAS Consultative Committee, Strasbourg, France.
October 1-2025, the 2025 EAS Annual Conference will be held in Zagreb (Croatia) to share the advancement and outcomes of EU-funded dual career projects, best practices of dual career at local, regional, and national levels, , and the recognition of researchers awarded the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship (https://www.dualcareer.eu/call-for-papers-bengt-nybelius-scholarship-2024/)..
Special thanks to the Executive Committee and the Members of our Network for their proactive attitude in the recruitment of new EAS members and the advancement of the European dual career culture. I strongly encourage you to keep disseminating the EAS activities for the benefit of sportspersons as students and workers.
Prof. Laura Capranica,
EAS President
“Military Sport: Dual Career Opportunities and Challenges”
December 9, 2024 (from 13:55 CET)
13:00 Welcome
Roberto Recchia, Italian Navy Captain, Secretary General of the International Military Sports Council (CISM) since May 2022. He accomplished his academic degrees in Maritime & Naval Science at the University of Pisa and in Political Sciences at the University of Trieste, has been the Principal Staff Officer of the NATO Naval Mine Countermeasures Force and Commander of the Italian Navy’s historic and iconic training ship Amerigo Vespucci, which is Ambassador of UNESCO and UNICEF.
13:10 Nina Christen, Swiss sports shooter and athlete of the Swiss Armed Forces, Olympic bronze and gold medalist (Tokyo 2020) with a CISM World Record at the 54th World Military Shooting Championship (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2023), and flag bearer for Team Switzerland in Paris 2024. She was awarded the CISM Athletes of the Year 2023.
13:25 Maruša Štangar
Slovenian judoka and athlete of the Slovenian Armed Forces, two-time Olympian (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), 5th place at the Military World Games (Wuhan 2019). She achieved a Master’s degree in Food Science at the University of Ljubljana, awarded with Certificate of distinction for academic achievement.
13:40 Alberto Arpino, Italian fencer and athlete of the Italian Firefighting Corp, gold medalist at the FISU University Games (Chengdu, 2021) and Master’s degree graduate in Management and Business Consulting at the San Raffaele University of Rome defending a thesis on dual career. He received the “Excellent Athlete, Excellent Student” and “Alfiere della Repubblica” awards.
13:55 General discussions and concluding remarks
From November 22 to 24, the 10th International Conference of the Universitaria Consortium in Physical Education, Sports, and Physiotherapy, titled “The Football of the Future – Between Science, Society, and Sports”, was held in Iași, Romania.
The conference represented an opportunity to increase the awareness of the FIND ME ERASMUS+Sport Project(101134043) focused on the implementation of dual career of sportspersons at university level.
Beatrice Abalasei, Dean of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, welcomed the authorities, the Deans and Representatives of Romanian and International universities, the speakers, and the participants. Laura Capranica, President of EAS addressed the three main reasons to focus on dual career and a good practice for universities: First, education and sport are human rights to allow talented sportsperson to pursue their holistic development; second, the relevance of educated athletes for the social, economic, and policy sectors in different countries; and third, dual career athletes are crucial to deliver a positive image and values of their university. As a good practice, she presented the informal consortium of Italian Universities the UniSport Italy, which succeeded in fostering the national dual career guidelines in agreement with the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), and the Italian Sport University Federation (CUSI) despite the Italian “laisser faire” approach to dual career.
The conference was structured into five sections and three working groups. One of the working groups focused on “Implementation of Policies and Strategies of Dual Career in the European Union,” an awareness-raising event under the “FIND ME: University Dual Career Opportunities” Erasmus+ project (ID: 101134043), where EAS is one of the partner organizations. Prof. Beatrice Abalasei, Dean of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași introduced the FIND ME project, and project leader Nenad Stojiljković from the University of Niš (Serbia) highlighted the benefits and opportunities for higher education institutions to increase the visibility of their dual career policies and to cooperate with sports bodies, with special regard to football.
In the following days, Beatrice Abalasei, Dean of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași welcomed the participants to the meeting of the FIND ME project. Raluca Mihaela Onose presented the outcomes of the National Report for Romania, deriving from the semi-structured interviews and the focus group. Andrea Fusco from The University of Chieti-Pescara (Italy) illustrated the progression of the scientific evidence on “Sportspersons’ Opinions on Dual Career Measures,”.
Matteo Perissinotto (OKKAM, Italy) clarified the development of the FIND ME platform and the group discussed the development of an online tool to collect the student-athletes’ feedback of their university dual career services and policies. Finally, Burak Calışkan from Collective Innovation AS, Oslo (Norway) presented the outcomes and next steps of the overall dissemination, communication, and networking.
The wonderful hosts of the FIND ME meeting also offered a tour to explore the Iași’s historical heritage.
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 November 21 the Final Conference of the Sports as Value project has been held in Pristina (Kosovo) under the framework of the European Sports Platform “Values of sport: building bridges in a united Europe”, hosted by the National Olympic Committee of Kosovo.
In involving 9 partners from 8 countries from the EU and the Balkan region, the ERASMUS+Sport Capacity-Building project “Sports as Value”coordinad by ENGSO aimed to build the capacity of sport clubs, organizations and federations for integrating positive values fr om the grassroots to the elite sports practice in a structured, dynamic, and systematic way.
The University of Pristina in cooperation with EAS collected novice data through several surveys administered to different stakeholders of sport organizations in the Balkan countries. In sharing good practices in value-based approaches, the individuals’ development in and through sports has been envisaged including dual career of sportspersons.
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 November 16th, 2024, EAS was invited to the EUSA celebration of its 25th Anniversary at the monumental site of the University of Vienna, Austria. Th event was organized by the Austrian University Sports Organization and the University of Vienna. The EUSA President, Mr. Adam Roczek, welcomed the EUSA members, the local authorities, the invited guests, and the speakers.
The opening session included a video message by the Austrian Federal Ministry for for Education, Science and Research, Mr. Martin Polaschek, speeches by Prof. Nikolaus Hautsch, Vice-Rector of the University of Vienna and Mr. Leonz Eder, President of the International University Sports Federation contributed to the opening session, and a video message by Mr Spyros Capralos, President of the European Olympic Committees. In line with the Association’s aims of active lifestyles, Mr. Matjaz Pecovnik, EUSA Secretary General, engaged in a 20-min cycling during which he effectively presented the 25-year EUSA work, challenges, milestones, and achievements.
Mr. Lorenz Ursprung moderated the first panel addressing the role of sports in the future of European society. Mr. Adam Roczek, EUSA President; Mr. Leonz Eder, FISU President; Mrs. Filipa Godinho, Pro-Rector of the University of Coimbra; Mr. Michael Wiederer, President of the European Handball Federation; and Prof. Nikolaus Hautsch, Vice-Rector of the University of Vienna not only discussed numerous aspects of the crucial role of sports in higher education, but also envisioned possible development of university sport events and dual career as crucial strategies to implement the actual reality of students as sportspersons and the future life of European citizens. Furthermore, the panel highlighted the importance for higher educational institutions to increase their visibility through the participation in the EUSA University Games and Championships and the university dual career and sports policies. The video on the long-time promotion of healthy, active student community at the University of Vienna and the evidence of the EUSA Games legacy at the University of Coimbra further substantiated the relevance of the common efforts to enhance university sports in Europe. In this regard, the ERASMUS+Sport projects DiscoverU – Discovering university sport and supporting dual career (https://erasmus plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101134052) coordinated by EUSA and Find Me – University Dual Career Opportunities (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101134043) coordinated by the University of Nis could be extremely helpful to advance the European sport discourse at university level.
Mr. Arnold Baca, Head of the Centre for Sports Science and University Sports at the University of Vienna moderated the second panel focused on grassroots and healthy sports at higher institutions. Mr. Elmar Pichl, General Director for Universities in the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research; Prof. Siegfried Walch, MCI Entrepreneurial School Innsbruck; and the athlete as student Ms. Julia Pocksteiner presented possible implementation of university sports to support the need of active lifestyles for the physical and mental health of nowadays students and future professionals.
The ceremony of the EUSA Annual Awards prized several institutions. The Most Active National University Sports Association award was given to the German University Sports Federation (ADH) (accepted by Mr Joerg Forster, President of ADH and founder of EAS), and to the French University Sports Federation (accepted by Mr Cedric Terret, President of the French University Sports Federation). The University of Zagreb received both the Best University Award and the Most Active University Award for winning the highest number of medals across the European Universities Championships and for participating with the highest of athletes (accepted by Prof. Jasenka Ostojic, Vice-Rector of the University of Zagreb; and by by Ms Sanja Curkovic, Vice President of the Zagreb Academic Sports Federation, respectively). Mr. Marin Furcic, (Director) received a Medal of Appreciations for the long-term professional management collaboration of Furki Sport with EUSA, whereas the women’s futsal team of the University of Coimbra was awarded the Enno Harms Fair Play Award, for its outstanding behaviour during an EUSA game in Split, Croatia (received by Mr Renato Daniel Simoes, and Mr Diogo Jorge Lopes from the Coimbra Academic Association).
More information is available at https://www.eusa.eu/outstanding-eusa-conference-2024-held-in-vienna
The 25th Anniversary Gala dinner was held at the Palais Liechtenstein in Vienna, during which the Vienna Opera Ball Orchestra and the Svabek Dance School offered suggestive performances in connection with such a magnificent location. At the end of the 25th year EUSA celebration, awards and gifts were exchanged to signify the long standing dedication in support of the European University Sports. In particular, Mr. Ants Veetousme (Past President of the Estonian Academic Sports Assication), and Prof. Yevgeniy Imas (posthumously – President of the Sports Students’ Union of Ukraine) were attributed the Order of Merit.
More information is available at https://www.eusa.eu/eusa-celebrates-25th-anniversary-with-remarkable-gala
On November 1-2, 2024, EAS has been invited to the 17th ENSE FORUM “Bridging Borders through Sport Education: The Euro-Balkan-Med Perspective, organized by the Sports University of Tirana (Albania).
The event was opened by the Rector Agron Kasa, the Vice Minister of Education and Sport of Albania Endrit Hoxha, and the ENSE President Antonio Tessitore, welcomed the participants.
During the first session focused on Sport Education for Human Rights, Peace and Sport Diplomacy, Cassandra Mactavish (EPAS Senior Project Officer) delivered a keynote on the crucial role of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe in the progression of inclusion, human rights, and values through the revised European sport charter. From the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), Jean-Michel De Waele offered a perspective of sports diplomacy as a strategic tool for the European Union’s soft power and cultural Identity. Matthew Muscat-Inglott (Malta College or Arts, Science and Technology) presented the analogies of sports and chivalric disposition, and Kolë Gjeloshaj (Strategic Coordinator to the President of EFPM) illustrated the aims and activities of the European Fair Play Movement, which celebrated its 30th year of existence, including the permanent Fair Play Calendar and its cooperation with EAS.
Laura Capranica, EAS President, opened the second session dedicated to sport education in dual career. She illustrated the crucial role of international cooperation in the implementation of the European guidelines of dual career for the sports persons through finalized and the further advancements throough the ongoing ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Patnerships Talent- Cloud-based education for creative sport talents (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101090147); Smart Start for DC to encourage the dual career of young high school athletes aged 14 and 19 (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101133555); COMPATH – Promoting Employability of Young Student-Athletes through ‘‘Competence Hub on Sport Innovation’’ (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101050955); DiscoverU – Discovering university sport and supporting dual career (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101134052) Discover university sport and dual career support (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101134052); Find Me – University Dual Career Opportunities (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101134043); DCMENTOR – Advancing Athlete Employability through Career Mentorship and Education (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101132309); and the Capacity Building Sports as Value – Building of sport managers and coaches in Balkan region to promote values in and through sport (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101093451). The dual career session proceeded with the presentation by Masar Gjaka (UBT College), Winner of the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship, who disclosed the current state and future perspective of dual career in the Republic of Kosovo; Heli Kesämaa (Southern-Eastern Finland University of Applied Science), who illustrated the study proposal of mentor growth and competency building within the GEIN project; and was concluded by Karl Grech (The Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology), who presented a grounded theory study for mentorship as a lifelong developmental relationship for coaches.
The following sessions focused on Physical activity for Health and Wellbeing Promotion (Chaired by Dhimitraq Prifti and Harald Tschan), Sport Education for Social Inclusion, Integration and Gender Equality (Chaired by Elona Mehmeti and Gemma van Vuuren Cassar), Sport Education in Sport Science and PE curricula (Chaired by Dritan Sallaku and Gaetano Raiola), and Sport Training and physical activity for health and wellbeing promotion (Chaired by Elona Mehmeti and Vera Simões).
The second day encompassed oral presentations focused on Sport Education and Innovation in Sport Coaches (Chaired by Fisnik Brovina and Harald Tschan) and the workshop on ICoachKids with a theoretical part (chaired by Arben Kaçurri and Renzo Kerr-Cumbo) and a practical session.
More information is available at https://ust.edu.al/en/enseforum/
On October 10, 2024, the sports representatives from more than 40 European countries, the associations member of the EPAS Consultative Committee, and a group of youth delegates as part of a specific youth initiative gathered in Porto (Portugal) to attend the 18th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport, during which was celebrated the 10th anniversary of the as Macolin Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions.
Organized by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, the event addressed collaborative strategies for good governance and inclusivity in and through sports. As part of the first day programme, EAS took part in the meeting of the EPAS Consultative Committee, which was followed by a speed date with the youth participants addressing the possible strategies for fostering policies to progress the sports.
The focus of the second day was on collaborative governing and god governance in sports, with special attention to the adaptation of the rules to move forwards. The last day, a focus session on “Leadership through Gender Equality in Sport & Dual Career: Effective Strategies and Future Directions” was organized with onsite and online modalities. Following a thoruogh discussion on gender equality, the dual career issue was opened by Vitor Pardal (National Coordinator of the High Performance Sports Unit in School, Portugal), who delivered the keynote speech Reconciling School and Sports Success in Portugal focused on the good practice of the UUARE high school programme with 80% of academic success of athletes compared to all students.
Before moderating the dual career panel discussion, the EAS President summarized the 20-year journey of the European dual career discourse, starting from the 2004 European Year of Education in and through Sport (EYES), followed by the publication of the White Paper on Sport in 2007 and of the EU Guidelines on Dual Career of Athletes in 2012, the inclusion of dual career as a priority of the ERASMUS+Sport programme, and the extension of dual career to all the sportspersons (e.g., coaches, physical trainers, referees, sports managers, and volunteers) in 2021. She emphasized the usefulness of the European Portal “Erasmus+ Project Results” (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/) which offers the outcomes of the previous ERASMUS+ Collaborative Partnerships. Also the findings of three systematic literature reviews, were highlighted as crucial resources to help the implementation of dual career programmes. In particular, Laura capranica invited the participants to collect the fliers of the ongoing projects Compath, DC Mentor, DiscoverU, Find Me, Smart Start for DC, Sports as Values, and Talent, made available for the participants.
The President also illustrated how EAS contributes to the European dual career discourse through the organization of: an annual conference, two of them organized in Portugal; the fall and spring EAS online cafès, which give voice to sportspersons and experts on specific dual career topics; the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship awarded to the best paper submitted to the annual EAS conference; the collaboration with several dual career actors through European projects; and the networking with educational institutions, sports bodies, and local, national, and European authorities, as well as with dual career associations established beyond Europe, as substantiated by the collaboration with the Associação Brasileira sobre Dupla Carreira Esportiva (ABDC) fostered by EAS Portuguese members. Finally, she urged actions in dual career for all the sportspersons as students and as workers.
During the panel discussion, Duarte Nuno Fernandes Lopez (Chief of Staff, Secretary of State for Sport, Portugal, and organizer of two EAS Conferences in Lisbon) provided his considerations on the benefits of the Portuguese dual career system for high school and universities. Gévrise Emane, (Lifestyle Athletes Manager at the National Institute for Sport, Expertise and Performance – INSEP, former judo champion, and speaker at a online EAS cafè) discussed how INSEP help athletes in managing the challenges towards long-term success and well-being. Sofia Ramalho (SLBenfica Basketball Female Team Manager, Time out 2.0 Project Manager, International Basketball Federation – FIBA) reported how the crucial aspects of transition from player to team manager helped her supporting athletes in handling dual careers. Andrej Pisl (Communications & Project Manager, European University Sports Association – EUSA, coordinator of the DiscoverU dual career project and speaker at a online EAS Cafè) reminded that EUSA celebrates its 25th anniversary, claimed that university sports id for all students and not only for elite athletes, and reported successful stories of best practices to establish dual career legacy. Andy Criere Martin (Professional surfer and Olympian athlete, and speaker at a online EAS Cafè) illustrated the opportunity to pursue a dual career path by enrolling in an online university, and how the combination of academic studies helped him improving as an athlete and entrepreneur. During the general discussion, the role of parents and coaches and educated dual career service providers were emphasized.
The recording of the gender and dual career event is available at https://www.youtube.com/live/21tdgavFw7M
The 2024 annual EAS Conference and General Assembly have been held face-to-face in Katowice, Poland, on October 1-3, organized by the Academy of Physical Education of Katowice. The 2024 European City of Science welcomed around 70 participants from 17 different countries in presence and others attending online. With its well-developed economy and culture, Katowice was the perfect place to celebrate the 20th anniversary of EAS in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
In the first day, the opening ceremony was introduced by Piotr Rodak, President of the Organizing Committee, followed by EAS President Laura Capranica, Vice Rector of Sport AWF Katowice Adam Zajac, and a video message from MEP and former Olympic athlete Jagna Marczulajtis-Wall, The session was closed by Rajmund Tomik, Conference Director.
Key lectures focused on the AWF – School of Champions by Adam Zajac (Academy of Physical Education in Katowice – AWF); the Erasmus+ funding opportunities on Dual Careers by Izabela Pelczynska from the European Education and Culture Executive Agency – EACEA; the FISU Dual Career programme by Bill Thompson from the Education Committee of the International University Sports Federation (FISU); and the the European Network of Sport Education – ENSE by President Antonio Tessitore, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding between EAS and ENSE.
The Bengt Nybelius Scholarship winner Flavia Guidotti from the University San Raffaele of Rome, Italy, presented the dual career experiences of female soccer players, preceding the EAS 20th anniversary commemoration, led by the EAS founder and Honorary President Risto Keskitalo, who summarized the history and main achievements of the Network.
In the afternoon sessions focused on oral presentations on dual career at university level and a session specifically dedicated to European projects on dual career encompassing: FIND ME: University Dual Career Opportunities (Nenad Stojiljkovic, and Pascal Izzicupo); HEPALIS, An Online Educational Chance (Juan Alfonso Garcia-Roca); DiscoverU – Discovering University Sport and Supporting Dual Career (Andrej Pisl); SAMEurope (Dorothée Brac de la Perrière); Smart Start for DC – Encouraging the Dual Career of Young High School Athletes (Renato Vuk); Talent (Antonino Scardina); and the Capacity Building ‘Sports as Value’ – Societal Impact and Development of Grassroots Sports in the Western Balkans (Faton Tishukaj).
On the second day, the Conference was organized at the Silesian Stadion Slaski in Chorzow, where the panel discussion on Sport in School and University was chaired by Piotr Rodak, with the former Olympian and sport journalist Weronika Nowakowska, the representative of the Academic Sports Association of Poland – AZS Marianna Pikul, Vice-Dean of AWF Katowice Krzysztof Wilusz, and Olympian student-athlete at the AWF Katowice Maciej Wyderka sharing their experiences and commitment for the advancement of dual career in Poland.
Following the sessions dedicated to oral presentations on dual career at high school and university levels, the Annual General Assembly was directed by the EAS Secretary Ole Keldorf. The members approved the activity report presented by the President Laura Capranica and the financial report presented by the Treasurer Mojca Doupona, duly checked by Florentino Huertas and Nenad Stojiljkovic. Furthermore, the Assembly nominated Flavia Guidotti (Telematic University San Raffaele, Italy), Alejandro Alejandro Leiva-Arcas (UCAM, Spain), and Malene Thisgaard Knudsen (Aarhus University, Denmark) as Members of the Next Generation EAS Committee, which will be responsible to assign the 2025 Bengt Nybelius Award and to collaborate to the enhancement of the communication channels of the Network.
At the end of the General Assembly, Romana Caput-Jogunica invited the EAS members to attend the 22nd EAS Conference to be held in Zagreb next 2025 on behalf of the Croatian Olympic Committee and the University of Zagreb, in cooperation with dual career associations.
The participants had also the opportunity to visit the sports infrastructure and facilities of the Stadion Slaski before attending the Gala Dinner having a sky overview the town of Katowice.
During the last day of the Conference, the closing ceremony was organized after a tour at the Guido Mine museum located at 320m underground in Zabrze. The Conference book of abstracts is available at https://eas24.awf.katowice.pl. The Academy of Physical Education in Katowice – AWF is planning to publish a book of the contributions.
As part of the DC Mentor project, the project partners held a meeting on 30th September in Katowice, Poland. The meeting was highly productive in terms of reviewing the project’s current status, completed outputs, and planning future steps.
The meeting began with an opening speech by Aneta Lemiesz. Following that, Gamze Aydin from Sportstech Türkiye provided an update on the outputs completed so far and the ongoing tasks. Håkon Ege from COLIN shared a draft version of the platform developed within the scope of the project, while Rıdvan Cakir from Sportstech Türkiye presented the modules’ interface and structure in detail.
Throughout the meeting, the project partners reviewed each module individually and discussed areas needing improvement. They provided valuable feedback on how the modules could be adapted specifically for young athletes.
One of the key topics of the meeting was the “Mental Toughness” module. It was discussed that this module should be kept separate and its content addressed more specifically.
The meeting also addressed how the platform would be structured, how the modules would function, and innovations to enhance user experience. It was announced that each module would include an “Assessment” section at the end, and participants would receive a certificate after completing the training modules. Videos and PowerPoint presentations will also be included on the platform alongside the modules. All partners will deliver the content related to their modules by the agreed deadlines and continue contributing to the project as it progresses.
At the end of the meeting, there were discussions on dissemination strategies. Additionally, various interactive activities and blog posts were planned for the local promotion of the project.
This project aims to support the academic and athletic development of student-athletes. The educational modules developed within the scope of the project will contribute to enhancing both their personal and professional skills.
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.
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Email: info@dualcareer.eu