15th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the European Athlete as Student (EAS) - dual career network was held in Coimbra, Portugal, between September 12 and 14, 2018. European University Sports Association (EUSA) also attended the event.

The participants were welcomed by the Rector of the University of Coimbra Mr Joao Gabriel Silva and the EAS President Ms Laura Capranica. The event was held at the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra.



The conference consisted of several main topics on Globalisation, Dialectic Relationship between Sports and School Systems, and University Sport. The last day was dedicated to the General Assembly, and also included the fourth session on Sport and Governance.



Each of the main topics was covered by keynote speeches and series of oral presentations. Several of them were presentations of EU-funded projects on dual career.



Among the keynote speakers were also Professor at the University of Central Florida Mr Carlton Keith Harrison (USA), International Relations Officer of the University of Coimbra Ms Liliana Moreira, Representative of the Portuguese General Direction of Education Mr Victor Pardal, Representative of the Portuguese Union of Professional Football Players Mr Bruno Avelar Rosa (POR) and Policy Officer at the Sport Unit of the European Commission Ms Agata Dziarnowska.



Secretary General of the European Universities Games Coimbra 2018 Mr Mario Santos presented the New trends for the University Sport, including good practice example of the European Universities Games 2018 (EUG2018), also supporting the EAS Conference and Assembly as one of the educational events.



EUSA was represented by Mr Andrej Pisl, Communications and Projects Manager. Mr Pisl also took the opportunity to meet representatives of the Erasmus+ supported projects, where EUSA through its Institute is involved in.



Apart of the Empatia Project on dual career targeting parents and guardians of elite and talented athletes in higher education, he also met the representative of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOK), coordinator of the SMART Sport project on dual career and linking it with smart and innovative technologies in sport, as well as AMID project partners (lead by the University of Salzburg), focusing on dual career through the prism of migration of athletes.



At the elective EAS General Assembly, the members confirmed the report of the board and the financial report. Executive committee, lead by the President Ms Laura Capranica, was re-elected for another 4-year mandate. At the Assembly, also the Bengt Nybelius Award was presented to young researchers Ms Kinga Varga (University of Ljubljana) and Giancarlo Condello (University of Taipei).



EAS and EUSA are partner organisations, working closely on promotion of dual career in higher education, linking and supporting academic and sport careers of student athletes across Europe.

For more information about EAS, please see www.dualcareer.eu.