PROJECTS / DOCUMENTS
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 “2021 Bengt Nybelius Scholarship”
Originating fro
m the findings of the EU Collaborative Partnership “Media as a channel of Athletes’ Dual Careers promotion and education (EdMedia, 603456-EPP-1-2018-1-LT-SPO-SCP)”, the third EAS Virtual Cafè attracted around 80 European dual career experts.
Andrej Pisl, Communications and Projects Manager at European University Sports Association – EUSA and Member of the Ed Media Collaborative Partnership, illustrated the aims of the project and its educational platform (https://www.lsu.lt/en/project-edmedia/edmedia-online-platform/), which could be useful for both student-athletes and media professionals. He also moderated the contributions of Andreas Küttel and Flavia Guidotti, who presented their personal experiences as athletes and coach, respectively.
Andreas Küttel, former Swiss ski-jumping world champion and five-time Olympic athlete, presented his personal experience and claimed that student-athletes can benefit from unveiling their academic career to better attract the attention of the media and general public. As an Assistant Professor at SDU, and sports psychological consultant, he also recognized the need to educate student-athletes on the role of media and social media to construct a positive image including also their dual career.
Flavia Guidotti, former volleyball player and actual physical trainer of the AO THIRAS Santorini Volleyball team (Greece), focused on the role of dual career in team sports that provide limited revenues to athletes if any. As a dual career expert, she presented her experience with elite athletes as students, who previously lacked support at the sport and academic level. In considering the role model of successful student-athletes crucial for youth athletes, Flavia envisaged a wise use of media and social media to spread the message that the combination of elite sport and academic career is achievable.
Petra Robnik, Head of Athletes Career Centre / Secretary of Slovenian Olympians Association at Olympic Committee of Slovenia, commented thatproper communication can be beneficial not only for athletes but also for different dual career stakeholders, who could profit from information on successful dual career programmes and the outcomes of dual career projects.
Flowing a general discussion, Andrej Pisl summarized the outcomes of the café and invited the participants to attend the fourth EAS Virtual Cafè to be organized next June and the Annual Conference to be held next September in Lisbon, European Capital of Sport 2021.
Third EAS Online Cafè
“Media Role in the Promotion of the European Dual Career Culture”
Zoom Meeting April 26, 2021 (from 12:00 CETS)
12:00 Welcome
Andrej Pisl – Communications and Projects Manager at European University Sports Association – EUSA and Member of the Ed Media Collaborative Partnership.
12:20 The former athlete and actual dual career scholar’s view
Andreas Küttel – Swiss former ski-jumping world champion and five-time Olympic athlete, Assistant Professor at SDU, and sports psychological consultant.
12:40 The coach’s view
Flavia Guidotti – Physical trainer of the AO THIRAS Santorini Volleyball team (Greece) and dual career scholar.
13:00 General discussions
13:25 Concluding Remarks and announcement of next EAS online café
- Recent activities
- Create skill enhancement opportunities for people who are working in the field of dual career.
- Build up academic research work in the field of dual career.
- Save the date
On March 3, 2021, the University of Limerick organized the online kick-off meeting of the EU-funded BRAVA-DC project (622824-EPP-1-2020-1-IE-SPO-SCP), which aims to enhance a dual career in the Corporate Social Responsibility of the European labour market.
During the three-year life course of the project, the BRAVA Team will encompass dual career, academic, and managerial experts from the University of Limerick (IRL – coordinators), European Platform for Sports and Innovation (BEL), Roma Tre University (ITA), Faculty of Sport and Physical Education University of Nis (SRB), University of Ljubljana (SLO), Fondazione Human Age Institute (ITA), the EUSA Institute (SLO), and the European Athlete as Student (MAL). In structuring an evidence- and eminence-based knowledge on DC employed athletes for the definition of a European conceptual framework fostering the alignment brand strategies and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies with DC, BRAVA-DC will contribute to the implementation of the European DC guidelines in the workplace.
Through its participation in European ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships, EAS contributes to the development of relevant European dual career aspects and to strengthen the link between educational institutions and sports organizations for the benefit of student-athletes. The article “The Contribution of the European Athlete as Student Network (EAS) to European Dual Career ERASMUS+ Sport Collaborative Partnerships: An update” published in the special issue of the journal Cultura Ciencia y Desporte “The Importance of Making the Dual Career Visible in Scientific Journals” (vol. 16, issue 47, p 7-17 https://ccd.ucam.edu/index.php/revista/issue/view/87) informs on the objectives and progression of the AMiD, EMPATIA, DONA, Ed Media, More Than Gold, Starting 11 and SOS project in which EAS cooperates with sport bodies and educational institutions to envisage novel solutions for the development of opportunities in education and sport paths of athletes.
Despite evidence- and eminence- based methods encompassing literature reviews, desk, gap, SWOT and PESTEL analyses, focus groups, surveys, semi-structured interviews, work- shops, and concept mapping on several dual career dimensions, a limited implementation of the EU guidelines emerged. The findings highlight the necessity of maintaining dual career among the European priorities in the field of sport and to envisage a surveillance plan at various dual career environmental levels (e.g., policies, systems, programmes).
Click hereunder to access the article
On February 19, 2021, Dual Career and the ‘More than Gold’ project was presented at the scientific conference ‘Sport for the sustainability of society’ organized online by the University of Latvia (UL), during which more than 70 participants from Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Romania, and Russia discussed research topics for social development in and through sports.
In aiming to contribute to the development of a Dual Career culture in Europe, the six partners of the European Collaborative Partnership ‘More than Gold’ (University of Latvia, Latvia; Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, Romania; Universidad Catolica de Murcia, Spain; the University of Coimbra, Portugal; the University of Chieti-Pescara “G. d’Annunzio”, Italy; and EAS, Malta) are finalizing the development of Dual Career guidelines for higher education institutions (HEI) based on student-athletes’ needs, best practices, and opinion of HEI experts on a feasible implementation of financial, logistic, academic and social support of university athletes.
Second Virtual EAS Café on Dual Career Migrating Athletes
Originating from the findings of the EU Collaborative Partnership “Athletic migration: Dual Career and qualification in sports (AMiD)” project (590400-EPP-1-2017-1-AT-SPO-SCP), the second EAS Virtual Cafè event focused on dual career migrating athletes, attracting 48 European dual career experts.
Cristina Cortis, Associate Professor and Rector’s Delegate for Sport at the University of Cassino and Lazio Meridionale (Italy), illustrated the AMiD project on dual career migrating (https://www.termedia.pl/Student-athlete-migration-A-systematic-literature-review,129,42089,1,1.html), its published literature review (https://blogi.eoppimispalvelut.fi/amid/description/) and expected publication of further information. She envisaged strong cooperation between sport bodies and educational stakeholders to develop a European dual career environment, which could facilitate the migration of student-athletes between the Member States.
Josefa Idem, the top-level kayak athlete with an outstanding achievement of 38 medals in Olympic Games (2 as a German and 6 as an Italian athlete), World and European Championships, described the challenges and opportunities of being a migrating top athlete who combined her long competitive career with political appointments and maternal role of two children. She considered the challenges as real opportunities, suggesting that youth athletes could profit from biographies of former athletes. As a psychologist and consultant of the Italian Soccer Federation, she also presented a cultural vision encompassing a lifelong education of all the actors in sports to support the holistic development of youth athletes as citizens.
Preben Astrup, the General Manager of the Danish Migration project “Get2sport”, illustrated the background, aims, activities, and benefits of a relevant and effective project for the integration of refugees in the sport clubs and schools all over Denmark. In presenting the fruitful cooperation with local refugee centres, municipalities, voluntary coaches, teachers and leaders, he highlighted the crucial role of parents in making “Get2sport” successful for the benefit of the youth athletes and the society at large. Indeed, the Get2sport project represents good practice for the integration of different culture and the advancement of local communities.
I
n summarizing the outcomes of the café, Laura Capranica noted that the speakers moved from the holistic development of the athlete as a student to the holistic development of the society by means of education in and through sport. Thus, the participants were invited to attend the third EAS Virtual Cafè and the Annual Conference to be held in Lisbon, European Capital of Sport 2021.
Programme
12:00 Welcome
Cristina Cortis Associate Professor and Rector’s Delegate for Sport at the University of Cassino and Lazio Meridionale (Italy), partner of the EU-funded “Athletic migration: Dual Career and qualification in sports (AMiD)” project (590400-EPP-1-2017-1-AT-SPO-SCP).
12:15 The Challenges and opportunities of Dual Career for Migrating Athletes
Josefa Idem Migrating (from Germany to Italy) kayak athlete and champion in Olympic Games, World and European Championships (38 medals). Master’s degree in Occupational and Organisational Psychology, Former Italian politician, at present, is a consultant of the Italian Soccer Federation.
12:30 “Get2sport”
Preben Astrup General Manager of the Danish Migration project “Get2sport”. In cooperation with the local refugee centres, municipalities voluntary coaches, teachers and leaders, “Get2sport” fosters effective integration of refugees in the local sport clubs and schools.
13:00 General discussions
13:25 Concluding Remarks and announcement of next EAS online café
Successful Validation of the English and Italian EMPATIA Educational Platform/Website for Parents/Guardians of Elite Athletes as Students
Based on the evidence- (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7581327/) and eminence- (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243354) knowledge gathered from Parents/Guardians of Elite Athletes as Students and European Dual Career experts, the EMPATIA platform/website presents in one place crucial information, hints & tips and important documents to empower Parents/Guardians of Dual Career athlete. The content is organized into 4 parts named: WHY, WHAT, HOW & WHERE and is available in English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Slovenian.
At present, 33 Irish and 30 Italian Parents participated in online evaluation workshops and provided their positive feedbacks useful for its implementation. A Parent commented “If this website were available when I was an athlete, I probably wouldn’t have had to choose between continuing my studies and continuing my sport career!! I’m happy for my son!”
In the next weeks, the French, Portuguese, and Slovenian workshops will be organized to finalize the validation and implementation of the website.
REG. NUMBER: Voluntary Organisation registration VO/1270
PIC NUMBER: 913459865
Email: info@dualcareer.eu