In this month’s What’s Up student column, EUSA’s ESC volunteers Aada, Dorina, and Milena reflect on the importance, impact, and their personal experiences of volunteering in university sport.

Since 2016, the 20th of September is the International Day of University Sport (IDUS), a moment to celebrate the key role universities play in the development and promotion of sport, to debate, exchange ideas, and share best practices. It is also a day to bring visibility to the University Sports Movement and to the competitions that unite student-athletes through the language of sport.

Whether summer or winter sports, European or world, university sport events wouldn’t be successful without volunteers and their dedication. From logistics to accreditation, from media to ceremonies, volunteers play a crucial role in keeping everything running smoothly and in building a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Let’s take a look behind the scenes of three different university sports events to discover the insights and perspectives of volunteers. Their stories reflect not only commitment but also growth, friendship, and pride that come from being part of something bigger.

European Universities Rowing Championship 2025

The European Universities Rowing Championship 2025 was held between September 18-21. in Bydgoszcz, Poland. This event also marked my first international sports volunteering experience, and so far, this was also one of the largest sporting events I have volunteered at. As it has only been a few days since the championship ended, it’s a good time to reflect on the experience and what volunteering can offer. 

As the event was my first international volunteering, I can say that it was fun and a great next step from volunteering at national sporting events. However, volunteering is a bit of a different experience at each sporting event. As the Rowing Championship gathers university students and volunteers from all over Europe, you get the chance to work with people from different cultures and learn from them. I also met many new people, and we probably will meet again in the future in other university sports events or in other sporting events as volunteers. There are various roles and responsibilities, some of which are specific to the sport, and some are more general. There is a possibility to use your own strengths or then learn some completely new skills and explore new areas. With experience, you can also get more responsibilities and grow as a volunteer. At the European Universities Rowing Championship, I had the chance to be involved in the opening and closing ceremonies as well as in the medal ceremonies, which were all new areas for me. Most importantly, it is good to have an open mind and be prepared to do almost anything, because through volunteering, you get a good glimpse of how sporting events look from the inside.

Rowing as a sport was fairly new to me, as I had only watched it at the Olympic Games. While volunteering at the championship, I had the chance to follow the competitions and learn more about the sport during free time. You can also get a good insight into the behind-the-scenes of the sport, which you maybe would not get otherwise as a spectator. Now I can say that I understand rowing as a sport way more than I did before.

All in all, volunteering at the university championship was a great and valuable experience, and I encourage anyone who is thinking about volunteering at these events to try it out; you won’t regret it.

Aada Tiermas

European Universities Games 2024

The European Universities Games 2024 took place in Debrecen and Miskolc, Hungary, between July 12 and 24, 2024. More than 4500 participants representing 400 universities from 36 European countries gathered together for 12 days of competitions.

Being a volunteer at the EUG 2024 in Miskolc was one of the greatest volunteer experiences I've ever had. For two weeks, I could help thousands of student athletes in many positions, from checking accreditations at the catering areas, through helping at the beach volleyball matches, to being part of the medal ceremonies in karate and judo. I met hundreds of people (i.e., athletes, officials, organisers) every day and made friendships from all around Europe. 

The volunteers were also welcome to join the side events (workshops, football match viewings, bath party, etc.) and could also watch the competitions when not on shift. These opportunities created a great atmosphere, and everyone felt included.

My advice to people who would like to make the most out of their volunteering experiences is that they should be proactive and eager to help in any emerging task. It can happen that the original position one applies for is not as busy as expected, but helping with other tasks teaches a lot that can be useful in the future. A positive attitude and a smile can make even the boring tasks fun.

Dorina Nagy

2025 FISU Winter World University Games

Over 2,500 student-athletes from all over the world gathered in Turin between 13-23 January to compete at the FISU Winter World University Games. For the first time in World University Games, the schedule included both able-bodied events and para-sport events, marking an important step towards inclusion and non-discrimination in sport. 

I am grateful to have been part of this as a volunteer in the city considered the birthplace of the Games. I supported the media at the Main Press Centre and mostly at the figure skating venue. My experience at Torino 2025 allowed me to work closely with communications professionals and learn a lot: from the accreditation process for journalists and photographers to the management of the press room, from assisting in the mixed zones to supporting the media area (from where I even managed to watch a bit of my favourite sport).

Here I had the opportunity to meet, or in some cases meet again, members of the wonderful skating community: people of any age who, like me, share a deep passion for this sport, and athletes I usually only admire from afar. I had the chance to witness their focus before competitions and share the emotion of the moments that followed.

To anyone interested in sport: I highly recommend volunteering at a university sports event! You will discover inspiring stories, develop interesting skills, and build meaningful connections. For me, it was an extraordinary experience, one that I will always carry with me, and I am sure it will be the same for you.

Milena Alessandria

Are you a student with an opinion? We are looking for new contributors for our student column every month. Feel free to contact stc@eusa.eu to offer a piece or propose a topic.