For the first time in six years, representatives with operational responsibility from all five continents met at FISU headquarters to share successes and challenges around – amongst others – sport events, education, student wellbeing, and resources and sustainability.
Ten operational representatives from the Continental University Sports Federations (CUSFs) met at the FISU headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland for two days of exchanges. The last CUSF seminar was organised in 2019, and all participants were eager to sit at the same table to share their reality and help shape the future of university sports.
European University Sports Association (EUSA)
Sara Rozman – Director Education & Operations / COO
Matjaz Pecovnik – Secretary General / CEO
Liam Smith – Director Sports Events
FISU America
Inés Gómez – Treasurer
America Alvarado – Secretary General
FISU Oceania
Donna Spethman – Secretary General
Fédération Africaine du Sport Universitaire (FASU)
Ahmed Farouk – Executive Assistant to the President
Rhymond Muhumuza – IT & Operations Administrator
Asian University Sports Federation (AUSF)
Yi Yang – Executive Assistant
Chuanjun Gao – Staff Member
The core of university sports
The exchanges were divided into different topics, which are at the very core of university sports: the sport events, education, student wellbeing, resources and sustainability (social, financial and environmental) and of course marketing, innovation and communication, without which no strategy could be implemented.
Together, the FISU and CUSF representatives agreed to work on a common event calendar as well as to innovate as much as possible with regards to sport events.
They agreed to further develop the “U” in FISU, and increase the level of the academic events such as the FISU World Conference.
The Healthy Campus programme – of which almost 200 universities worldwide are now part of – will be further reviewed as it is the main tool to reach the campus communities as a whole. Designed to integrate health promotion into all aspects of campus life, it plays a key role in assuring students reach balanced lifestyles.
As not all countries have the same definition of the term dual career – some understand this as studies-work life balance, while it is meant as academic-athletic balance – work will continue to explain, strengthen and promote dual careers with the universities.
And finally common digital tools and platforms will be explored, to make university sport more accessible for all.
Transparent and enriching
The exchanges were transparent and enriching and the participants carried on their talks during the shared dinners or collective walks and runs along the lake. They all welcomed this new dialogue, promised to take back many learnings to their respective Executive Committees and agreed to make this seminar a yearly event to follow up on this unanimously saluted initiative.
“I learned so much from your really interesting contributions”, concluded FISU Secretary General and CEO, Matthias Remund addressing all five continents at the end of the seminar. “Communication must flow both ways. We must share our successes and also our challenges, as we have a common goal: the development of university sports. I now have a more precise idea of the current situation and needs and this will shape not only our work in the FISU office, but also our reinforced collaboration. Thank you, dear partners.”