European University Sports Association (EUSA) attended the annual Conference and Assembly of the European Athlete as Student (EAS) – Dual Career Network, held in the historic city of Cartagena, Spain – between September 28 and 30, 2022.

The event consisted of two main parts – the EAS Conference, held under the main topic A Holistic Approach to the Dual Career of the Student Athlete; and the EAS electoral General Assembly.



This conference was attended by EAS members and partners, among them also the International University Sports Federation (FISU), International School Sport Federation (ISF), Badminton World Federation (BWF), European University Sports Association (EUSA), Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), European Fair Play Movement (EFPM).



The event is one of the most important events related to the dual career of the student athlete in Europe, being a meeting point for international experts to discuss and share initiatives, policies and projects aimed at promoting the compatibility of academic and sporting careers. Welcome addresses of key European institutions' representatives were also given to the participants via online contribution by European Commission’s representatives Ms Floor van Houdt – Head of Unit for Sport, DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture and Mr David Kunst - Policy Officer for Evidence & Analysis, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion; as well as in-person by Ms Francine Hetherington Raveney - Deputy Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) at the Council of Europe.



Activities in the field of dual career and good practice examples was presented by several organisations. EUSA Communications and Projects Manager Mr Andrej Pisl shared key activities of the organisation, and highlighted the actual and recent projects where EUSA is represented and engaged through its Institute. Besides the organisations’ regular activities in sports and educational events, the travelling exhibition on university sport and celebration and promotion of the International Day of University Sport and the European Week of Sport were highlighted as the ongoing long-term initiatives in the field of dual career.



Special attention was also given on projects, co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The key good practice example projects were introduced – the Brand Value Alignment through Dual Career (BRAVA), Micro Learning Entrepreneurship for Athletes (MLEA), Athletes friendly education (AFE), Education Model for Parents of Athletes in Academics (EMPATIA), and Promoting Dual Career through Education of young Journalists (PRODUCE). The EAS event was also an opportunity for representatives of some of the projects to meet; namely the MLEA and BRAVA projects met for informal exchange and updates.



EAS and the hosts of the event - Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), also organised an interesting round table on student-athletes, Paralympics and main stakeholders in the Dual Career.



Besides EUSA, university sport was represented also by FISU and the organisers of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, as several other university and/or organisation representatives, who were also involved in organising previous European Universities Sports Events. From the EUSA Family especially the presence of Mr Joerg Foerster as the representative of the Organising Committee Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games and Chair of the German University Sport Federation, also one of the current EUSA Vice-Presidents; and Mr Bill Thompson, FISU Education Committee Member, also former EUSA Executive Committee member.



The EAS also held their annual General Assembly in Cartagena. Main activities and achievements of the organisation were presented to the members delegates and invited guests, as well as financial results.



The delegates also elected the board for the new 4-year mandate, keeping the current composition. Ms Laura Capranica will remain in the position of the President of the Organisation also in the future, continuing leading the organisation and dual career activities. EUSA remains a strong supporter of dual career, and a partner of EAS both on strategic, as well as project level.

For more information, please see EAS official website https://www.dualcareer.eu and UCAM event microsite https://eventos.ucam.edu/85445/programme/eas-conference-2022.html