PROJECTS / DOCUMENTS

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

Dear Friends in Dual Career,
the EAS Executive Committee wishes you a healthy 2021 Easter and brighter days ahead!
Europe is facing challenging lockdowns to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and all of us are more digital than ever. However, EAS is committed to keep sustaining the dual career of athletes and working hard on forthcoming initiatives, including the Annual Conference 2021 to be held in Lisbon next September. We warmly thank our Members and our co-Partners of ERASMUS+Sports Collaborative Partnerships for their efforts in keeping sustaining the student-athletes through innovative solutions at educational and/or sport levels. In fact, lots of interesting things happened and we will keep you informed through our website (www.dualcareer.eu) and by emails.
  • Recent activities
In agreement with the aims of the Network, in the past months of 2021, EAS carried out several virtual activities:
Support and organize a continuous exchange between institutions and experts across Europe working in the field of dual career.
EAS organized the second online EAS Cafè, which was dedicated to Dual Career Migrating Athletes. This bimonthly opportunity to discuss specific dual career issues has been greatly participated and appreciated. The third event will be organized in April and will focus on the role of media in support of student-athletes.
  • Create skill enhancement opportunities for people who are working in the field of dual career.
EAS participated to the online meetings and activities of the ongoing 2017 (e.g., EMPATIA) and 2018 (e.g., DONA, ED MEDIA, MTG, SoS, and Starting11) and 2020 (e.g., BRAVA-DC, ElCamp; and Para-Limits) Erasmus+ Cooperative Partnerships. From March 2020, the activities were carried on in a virtual modality due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Last February the AMID project submitted its final report, whereas the duration of the projects EMPATIA, DONA, EDMEDIA, MTG, and SoS was extended to the 2021.
  • Build up academic research work in the field of dual career.
In 2021, an update of the contribution of EAS to the European dual career through the ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships has been published in the international journal Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte. Furthermore, two scientific manuscripts on the outcomes of the AMID, EMPATIA projects have neem published on the peer-review journalsHuman Movement, and Plos One, respectively. Finally, the outcomes of the MTG project have been presented at the scientific conference ‘Sport for the sustainability of society’ organized online by the University of Latvia.
Create a political environment that addresses the needs of talented athletes pursuing a dual career by cooperating with partners in sport and educational systems.
Fruitful partnerships with the European Commission and the Council of Europe have been consolidated through the participation in relevant events held in online modalities. In the next months EAS will contribute to the revision of the European Sport Charter and to the application to European partnerships.
  • Save the date
May 20, 2021 – Call for European proposals 2021
September 20-22, 2021 – EAS Annual Conference, Lisbon, Portugal.
In inviting you to follow the EAS official website and social media to keep informed on the ongoing activities, we remind you that you can contribute to the European dual career culture with relevant news.
We wish you and your loved ones all the best for the health and wellbeing.
on behalf of the EAS Executive Commitee
Laura Capranica
President
European Athlete as Student Network

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.

In 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.

Sharing Best practices: UNISPORT ITALIA provides a valuable guide to orient athletes who intend to undertake an academic training in Italy in universities that take into account the European guidelines on the dual career of the athlete.
UNISPORT ITALIA, the network of the Italian national university sports system created in 2018 to enhance the role of sport within the three key missions of the university (training, research and innovation), actively cooperates with EAS in the implementation of the dual career in Italy. UNISPORT ITALIA developed the first shared database on dual career in Italy (https://www.unisport-italia.it/dual-career/) as an important result of the Memorandum of Understanding on dual career with the National Olympic Committee (CONI) and its Athletes Commission.
The UNISPORT ITALIA dual career database not only provides information for athletes willing to pursue a university career in parallel with their sports commitment but offers also national and international visibility to 28 Italian Universities with a dual career programme, stimulating other Universities to start or implement a dual career program.
Data collection was made possible thanks to the contribution of the Sports Delegates of the Italian universities who filled out an electronic questionnaire and the support of the Conference of Italian University Rectors. Thus, the UNISPORT ITALIA website allows to filter the available programme on the basis of the main benefits provided for by the regulations of the individual universities, thus allowing athletes to easily identify the programme most suited to their needs. The mapping will be constantly updated by UNISPORT ITALIA.
Full satisfaction on the part of the President of Unisport Italia, Prof. Paolo Bouquet: “This result demonstrates that the Italian university world is paying more and more attention to the relationship with the world of sports, feeding a virtuous and bidirectional synergy: on the one hand, more and more Italian universities support student-athletes in their difficult path, on the other hand, the world of sport and athletes can help the national university system to carry out its training activities ever better and in innovative forms, research and technology transfer. I wish that this project can give rise to a working table with the Sports Office of the Government, CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee), CUSI (Italian Sport University Centre) and all other stakeholders to define national guidelines to dual career as suggested by the EU, we would be one of the first countries to equip ourselves with a fundamental tool”.

On December 21, 2020 a virtual meeting of the EMPATIA Team was organized. The coordinator, Prof. Mojca Doupona informed that the project has been extended to the end of November 2021, which will allow to organize onsite workshops with parents of dual career athletes and the final conference of the project.

At present, the EMPATIA Educational Programme for parents has been developed on the evidence- and eminence-based knowledge, which has been published on relevant international peer-review journals. In particular, a systematic literature review on Parents about parenting dual career athletes is available at the Psychology of Sport and Exercise and the parents’ view for understanding the educational needs of parenting athletes involved in sport and education will be published on PlosOne. Furthermore, the manuscript on the European framework of parenting dual career athletes is currently under revision.

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