The Executive Committee of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) met in Lausanne, Switzerland, on October 23-24, 2026, for its second in-person meeting of the year.
The meeting addressed key organisational matters, ongoing projects, international cooperation and preparations for upcoming European university sports events.

The meeting was hosted by Swiss University Sports at the FISU Headquarters in Lausanne, where the EUSA Executive Committee Members and EUSA Office Staff were welcomed by FISU President Leonz Eder and Secretary General Matthias Remund on the first day of the meetings, and by Raeto Raffainer, CEO of Swiss University Sports, who joined the meetings for both days.

The venue reflected the close cooperation among the three organisations, and their shared commitment to the development of university sport. EUSA expressed its appreciation to Swiss University Sports and FISU for their hospitality.
Present on the first day of the Executive Committee Meeting were also Marzel Wyden, EUSA Legal Advisor, and Mutlu Turkmen, EUSA Rectors Council Chair, during the second day.

The two-day meeting followed a comprehensive agenda, beginning with general matters, including the approval of the agenda and the minutes of previous Executive Committee meetings.
The Executive Committee Meeting started with President Haris Pavletic presenting the President’s Report, followed by Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik, who presented the EUSA Office Report and updates on the event calendar. Financial matters were presented by EUSA Treasurer Francis Cirianni, including the provisional budget for 2026 and the Development and Solidarity Fund.

The Committee also reviewed EUSA’s educational and social events, including the final report of the EUSA Forum and Awards Ceremony 2026 and preparations for the 2027 Forum and Awards Gala. The respective updates, including matters related to the 2026 Awards, were presented by Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik. The agenda also covered the calendar of future Executive Committee meetings and the dates of the EUSA General Assembly 2027.

Updates on European Union-funded projects were presented by EUSA Projects and Policy Director Andrej Pisl, providing an overview of ongoing activities and developments.

International cooperation was also addressed through activity reports from EUSA Member organisations, applications and reports concerning Associated Members, and updates on cooperation with partner federations, which were presented by both EUSA President Haris Pavetic and Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik. The meeting also covered the approval of new Associated Members and discussions on partnerships currently in development, as well as updates on ongoing cooperation initiatives.

Internal matters focused on the work of EUSA Commissions and Working Groups for the 2026-2029 mandate, with Liam Smith, Director of Sports Events, presenting updates on reports, nominations and terms of reference.

A significant part of the meetings was dedicated to EUSA’s sporting programme. EUSA Director Sports Events, Liam Smith, presented updates on the European Universities Championships, including the final reports of the 2026 editions in Rowing and Combat Sports, preparations for the 2027 Championships and the attribution of the 2029 editions.

Preparations for future European Universities Games were also discussed. The Committee reviewed the Office Report on the European Universities Games 2026 in Salerno, progress reports for the 2028 Winter and Summer editions, and the report and evaluation concerning the 2032 Games and its bidding cities, with updates presented by Liam Smith.

Further discussions covered EUSA sport events, including annual statistics, sanctions and incidents. The agenda also included updates from the European Students Run, EUSA Endorsed events and the FISU World Cup, reflecting the broad scope of EUSA’s activities beyond its main championship programme.
Moreover, on the night of October 23, EUSA Executive Committee Members and EUSA Office Staff attended the Swiss Students Sports Awards 2026.

Through these discussions, the Executive Committee reviewed ongoing activities and addressed key organisational and sporting priorities, contributing to the continued development of EUSA and European university sport.

[some photos courtesy of FISU]