The Winter Universiade Conference entitled ‘University Sport: Inspiring Innovation’, was held in the city of Rovereto in Trentino on December 9 and 10, 2013 as a prelude to the Winter Universiade 2013. A prominent focus of the conference is to highlight how sport can help innovation and athletes to succeed in their education and the correlation that sports and education can have to maximize the life and success of an athlete. The conference dealt with innovations that are making their way into sport and how they affect not just sports, but also education.

The opening remarks were made by the Mayor of Rovereto, Mr Andrea Miorandi and the Chairmain of the WU Trentino 2013 Organising Committee Mr Sergio Anesi. Other opening speeches were given by Mrs Rossana Ciufetti, Director of the School for Sport at CONI, Mrs Alison Odell, Chair of the FISU Educational Committee and Mrs Daria de Pretis, Rector of the University of Trento. Participants were also addressed via a video message by Mrs Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Youth and Sport.

The two-day event featured six important themes:

- A new alliance between Innovation/Employment, Education/University and Sport;

- Academic Research and Sport: a new landscape for academia and innovation;

- Interconnections between applied research and sport;

- Innovation, University and Sports: a platform for action? The present and future;

- University and Innovation: the role of sport;

- University and Sport: a vision for the future.

At the end of the Conference, a declaration of intent to continue with the matters discussed was signed. The declaration also includes conclusions on the growth and development of innovation in both education and sport, and how this can be used for collaboration in the future, recognising sport as a powerful inspiration for technology and science. FISU President Mr Gallien emphasized that this was a plan for future generations, “The future began yesterday, it begins today in Trentino and will begin tomorrow somewhere else. Our mission is in all sport, education and culture as well.”

The conference ended with the Universiade Torch arriving at the Mart Museum, where the conference was held. The Torch was passed onto Mr Gallien and Anesi before it completes the final leg to Trento for the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Universiade.

More information: www.universiadetrentino.org and www.fisu.net.