The first EUSA Executive Committee (EC) meeting of 2025 took place on April 4–5 in Tbilisi, Georgia, setting the tone for a vibrant and purposeful year ahead in European university sports. Over the course of two intensive days, members of the EUSA Executive Committee and key office members gathered to review progress, align priorities, and shape the strategic direction for 2025 and beyond.

The meeting was hosted by the University Sports Federation of Georgia and Georgian National University SEU. Their hospitality and support were key in ensuring the smooth running of the event, further highlighting Georgia's commitment to advancing university sports on the European stage.

The meeting commenced on Friday, April 4, with a warm welcoming address and the formal approval of the agenda. EUSA Family members were greeted by the President of the University Sports Federation of Georgia, Nino Gigineishvili, who emphasized the immense significance of hosting the EC Meeting. She highlighted the opportunity this event presents to strengthen university sports in Georgia, fostering new international cooperation, facilitating the exchange of valuable experiences, and further advancing the development of university sports both locally and across Europe.

EUSA President Adam Roczek recognized the significant contributions of the University Sports Federation of Georgia, highlighting their unwavering dedication to promoting and advancing university sports across the country. He emphasized their growing influence within the European university sports community, noting that their active involvement and commitment play a crucial role in the continued success and development of the region.

Mr Roczek opened the meeting with the approval of the agenda, the review of the minutes from the second EC meeting in 2024 and the online meeting at the beginning of 2025. 

A detailed Office Report provided an overview of 2024’s activities, while the 2025 Event Calendar was introduced by EUSA Secretary General, Matjaz Pecovnik, outlining a packed schedule of sports and educational events. Internal developments were also central to the agenda. A proposal for EUSA Annual Awards was presented to recognize outstanding contributions. 

An overview of the financial segment followed, including the presentation and approval of the Annual Accounts for 2024, a discussion on the Provisional Budget for 2025, and plans for the Development Fund to further support strategic initiatives, were presented by EUSA Treasurer Francis Cirianni.

As sporting events remain central to EUSA’s mission, the overview of the European Universities Championships (EUC) 2025 season took place, presented by EUSA Director of Sports Events Liam Smith. Mr Smith followed by updating the attendees with the available news on the European Universities Games (EUG) Salerno 2026 organisation, and reports about the updated programme and further bidding for 2026 and 2027 EUCs - with a few new host attributions.

EUSA Sports Manager, Miha Zvan presented the office updates regarding EUSA Endorsed Events, FISU World University Cups and Leagues, as well as the review of the nominations for new EUSA Technical Delegates which assignation concluded the segment.

The Projects section showcased EUSA’s strong presence in the European sports and education landscape. Andrej Pisl, Director Project and Policy, reported on the current projects and initiatives co-funded by the European Union (EU) through the Erasmus+ Programme and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) running in 2025, alongside updates on applications for 2026.

EUSA is engaged in several projects and, through its institute, currently leads several EU-funded projects: European Solidarity Corps (ESC), Erasmus+ Internship, Youth Integrity Ambassador Program (YIAP), Discovering university sport and supporting dual career (DiscoverU), Enhancing Sport Organizations and Management (ESOM), Fit4 Green, European Week of Winter Sports (EWWS), Youth Individual Sports Mindset (YouMind), Sports Clubs Integrating Organised Networks (FUSION), ERASMUS+ youth mobility and youth workers mobility projects.

Concluding the first day of meetings, the greetings by Georgian National University SEU Rector Gia Kavtelishvili, who also conducted a tour of the institution building for the EC Members, enriched the first day of meetings.

The Executive Committee Members gathered again on Saturday, April 5, for the second half of the working sessions, with key educational and governance moments in the foreground.

Preparations for the Extraordinary General Assembly talks and report updates regarding the upcoming EUSA General Assembly in Zagreb were finally discussed: together with the plans for EUSA-FISU Strategic Dialogue, and including the 2027 bidding procedure and the review of statuary documents. The Board reviewed all topics in a fruitful and committed conversation, led by EUSA President Roczek.

The presentation of the final report of last year's EUSA Conference and Gala, together with the updates of the institutional calendar, were unveiled by EUSA Director of Education and Development, Sara Rozman, who also updated the audience regarding the next EUSA Winter Forum.

The Branding and Marketing Council delivered its report, presented by EUSA Head of Media & Communications Salvatore Sisca, reflecting on recent progress and providing insights into visibility and outreach; anticipations of promotional strategies for the months ahead were then added by Commission Chair Suleyman Kocasert.

Additional reports on EUSA-led or partnered initiatives reaffirmed the organization’s role as a leading player in youth engagement and innovation through sport.
The committee acknowledged the efforts of EUSA Members, Associated Members, and Partner Federations through activity reports and strategic reviews, presented by EUSA Secretary General, Matjaz Pecovnik.
These insights underscored EUSA’s continued commitment to international collaboration, diversity, and the development of sustainable partnerships.

Updates were shared by the Student Commission Chair Klea Taipllari, who reported on past and future meetings, projects and participation.

The last dense segment of the meeting was the presentation of reports, new documents and guidelines by the Inclusion and Diversity Commission, lead by the commission Chair and EUSA Vice-President Bruno Barracosa. Mr Barracosa updated the Board with updates on the intense work of the Commission on several topics, such as the updates of EUSA Safeguarding and Incident Policy, and the revised Inclusion and Diversity core principles and commitments.
An important part of the presentation was about the drafting of a new white paper on the inclusion of Gender-Diverse (GD) Participants, which tries to give directions on EUSA awareness and direction of actions regarding more inclusive participation procedures to adopt.
Mr Barracosa then concluded his contribution with participation statistics analysis and an in-depth look at the Guidelines for EUSA and Partner Organisations Representatives at EUSA Events.

The meeting concluded with a brief session to address miscellaneous topics and ensure that all necessary follow-ups were aligned and documented.

EUSA thanks the University Sports Federation of Georgia and Georgian National University SEU for their excellent hospitality and support.