EUSA Insider:

Sports Students' Union of Ukraine

Founded: 1993
Current Headquarters: Kyiv
Website: studsport.com.ua                                                                                Published 18 December 2020

Firstly, for those who do not know, please tell us a bit about your NUSA ...
The development of student sport in Ukraine began in the 1990s after the creation of the Sports Students’ Union of Ukraine in 1993, the only affiliated representative of FISU and EUSA in Ukraine. The structure of the higher education of Ukraine consists of 755 higher educational establishments in total, and approximately 1 700 000 students. The Union, together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, universities and federations of all kinds of sport, provides the development of students’ sport in Ukraine through:

- involvements of students to participate in national sport events on kinds of sport and sporting and mass events;
- provision of students’ participation in the international sport competitions on kinds of sport;
- conduction in Ukraine international sport competitions on kinds of sport;
- creation of new modern sport and cultural events among students.

Can you describe some of the major events your NUSA has hosted in recent years, both national and international?
On the national level, the Union organises and runs events all over Ukraine. In 2019, recreational activities included:

- Athletics race “Students mile”, with 20 000 participants and 110 higher educational establishments;
- IDUS, with 50 000 participants and 260 higher educational establishments;
- Students’ Sport Games of Ukraine with 5 kinds of sport and 490 participants;
- National tournament “E-SPORT GAMES”, involving 3 disciplines – a combination of physical activities with esport – with 150 participantsand 120 universities.

Sport events in 2019 included:
- Winter Universiade of Ukraine (2 kinds of sport);
- Summer Universiade of Ukraine (24 kinds of sport);
- Students’ league (3 kinds of sport with 792 participants in finals);
- Championships and Cups of Ukraine (28 kinds of sport with 7 800 participants in finals).



What have been some of the highlights for your NUSA in recent years?
From 2017-2020, the Union together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, universities and federations of kinds of sport organised and conducted 328 events among students, involving around 270 000 participants. In 2019, the team of Ukraine took 11th place among 133 countries in the ХХХ Summer Universiade, and took first place in the total ranking of all sports in the European championships.

"University sport prepares our athletes to participate in future Olympic Games."

How important are the EUSA events – both sporting and educational – for your NUSA?
EUSA sport and educational events are of utmost importance for our students’ sport lives. They provide the development of physical education of students, give the possibility to students to communicate with other athletes from all over the world, promote cultural exchange and increase the image of Ukraine in the world.



The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted university sport across the world. How was your NUSA able to adapt to the situation, what activities have you still managed to organise and are there any positives you have noted from these difficult circumstances?
During this time we organised various events, including:

- prepared recommendations to keep fit while staying at home 
- National flash mob “Let’s move together” 
- IDUS in online format 

Finally, what does the future of university sport in your country hold?
University sport is a great part of the sport populated in the universities. University sport prepares our athletes to participate in future Olympic Games.

EUSA wishes the Sports Students’ Union of Ukraine well for all their future endeavours, and looks forward to seeing their NUSA members and student-athletes at many of our events in future!