Executive Committee members of the European University Sports Association (EUSA), office staff members and invited delegates met on 19th of April in Aveiro, Portugal.

The first in person EC Meeting for 2024 is hosted by the Portuguese Academic Federation of University Sport (FADU) and the University of Aveiro, and leads to the Attribution Ceremony of the European Universities Games 2028 that will be held on Saturday, April 20. 

EUSA Family members were welcomed by the representative of the hosts – the President of Portuguese Academic Federation of University Sport (FADU) Mr Ricardo Nora. EUSA President Adam Roczek thanked the host institution for the invitation and the hospitality, highlighting the great commitment in the last years of successful participation in and organisation of a multitude of EUSA competitions.

Mr Roczek opened the Meeting by addressing the importance of the EUG2028 Attribution that will soon follow, remarking once again on the huge opportunity of having as many as three strong Candidate Cities to host the event. Because of that, the possibility of Attributing also the 2030 edition of the Games arose, and the Executive Committee then voted on this proposal in agreement with the Bidding Committees: there is going to be a double Attribution, for both the 2028 and 2030 editions of the European Universities Games.

The gathering was then joined by the Candidate Cities Representative, who drew the order in which the committees will proceed to have the final presentation of their biddings. The Bidding Committees were represented by EUSA Vice President Aitor Canibe Sanchez for Granada, Spain; TUSF President and EUSA EC Member Mehmet Gunay for Manisa, Türkiye; and CASF Secretary General Nikola Vincetic for Split, Croatia.

The participants were then given a general overview of activities and office report, presented by EUSA Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik. He highlighted the main achievements of the organisation in the past period, highlighting the very successful year of 2023 for EUSA and the fully packed event calendar for 2024, which will see the European Universities Games 2024 in Debrecen-Miskolc and the 25th Anniversary Gala in Vienna as its peak appointments.

An overview of the financial report, provisonal budget 2023-2024 and details around the EUSA Development Fund 2024 were then presented by EUSA Treasurer Francis Cirianni.

On behalf of the Sports Department, EUSA Sports Manager Miha Zvan reported the successful first European Universities Winter Championships edition, starting up the agenda. Mr Zvan presented the progress report on the upcoming European Universities Rowing Championship 2024 to be held in Ankara, the report for the 2025 season of the European Universities Championship and the provisional plan for the 2027 edition, followed by the attribution by the EC of the 2027 EUCs to the new hosts.

The Sports Events part of the meeting concluded with reports about EUSA-endorsed partnership events, such as EUSA Patronage and Cups and FISU World University Leagues and Cups.

Projects and initiatives co-funded by the European Union (EU) through the Erasmus+ Programme and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) were presented by EUSA Projects and Policy Manager, Mr Andrej Pisl. EUSA is engaged in several projects and through its Institute currently leads several EU-funded projects; Enhancing sport organisations and management (ESOM), Discovering University Sport and Supporting Dual Career (DiscoverU), Youth Individual Sports Mindset (YouMind), Mobility of youth and youth workers, as well as European Solidarity Corps - volunteering.

The topic of Conferences and Meetings was presented by EUSA Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik, as well as Education and Development Manager Sara Rozman. Progress report of EUSA - FISU seminar, Calendar of upcoming Executive Committee meetings and progress report of EUSA Conference and Anniversary Gala was shared.

Last received applications and revisions to the EUSA Associated Members applications were also presented and approved, bringing the total amount of associated universities to 102, from 20 countries. This remarkable result, reached in only one year since the initiative institution, was underlined by Secretary General Pecovnik, who also shared that the milestone of 100 Associated Members has been reached with the approval of the University of Lisbon.

The afternoon session of the Meeting then saw a brief progress report on the European Universities Games Debrecen-Miskolc 2024 (EUG2024), by MEFS Secretary General Mr Peter Juhasz and EUSA Executive Committee Member Mr Zoltan Rakaczki.

The Meeting then continued with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding between EUSA and the European Federation of Powerlifting (EPF): such document is intended to strengthen cooperation and partnership between the two organizations, which will lead to the organisation of the first EUSA-EPF European Universities Championship in 2027. On behalf of EPF, the memorandum was signed by their President Bjorn Astad and Secretary General Tetiana Melnyk.

EUSA gathering then concluded with a discussion on E-Sports program, and possibilities of establishing infrastructure for the development in university sports. The presentation was led by Mr Denis Davydov, supported by EC Member Yevgeniy Imas as project partner with the National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine.

The first day of EUSA events in Aveiro continued with the visit of FADU office and Museum and the attendance of delegates and guests at the final of the Portuguese University Championship in Futsal.

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 20, the EUSA gathering will continue with the Presentation of the Bidding Candidate Cities and the Attribution Ceremony for the European Universities Games 2028 and 2030 - together with the official signing of the Attribution Agreements.