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FISU holds successful Strategic Dialogue with its Continental Association EUSA

FISU 16 April 2018

 

MADRID – Following the EUSA General Assembly 2018, members of the European University Sports Association met to attend the FISU-EUSA Strategic Dialogue event. The event provided invaluable insight into the shared strategy and vision of FISU and EUSA, the main cooperation fields between the two organisations, and good practices in University Sport in Europe.

 

FISU President Oleg Matytsin opened the dialogue with a keynote speech where he presented the FISU Global Strategy 2027 and the areas of emphasis to ensure further enrichment occurs for the benefit of international university sport at their events. EUSA members weren’t idle spectators as they also had the opportunity to ask questions and share their views and proposals.

FISU President Oleg Matytsin (left) with EUSA President Adam Roczeck during the 2017 FISU-EUSA Strategic Dialogue meeting in Madrid 

Adam Roczek, President of EUSA, elaborated on the difference between university sport at European and World events. According to Mr. Roczek, the difference of main stakeholders of the two organizations make them complementary and that together they are working well to improve the quality of student sports on all levels.

 

Afterwards, FISU First-Vice President Leonz Eder and EUSAs Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik joined forces to present the strategic dialogue between the organisations, and shared some highlights of the main cooperation fields.

 FISU First-Vice President Leonz Eder (right) presents during FISU-EUSA Strategic Dialogue meeting with EUSA Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik (left) during the weekend meeting

The first panel discussion was focused on university sport from the perspective of key stakeholders. Moderator Lorenz Ursprung welcomed the FISU and EUSA Presidents. Also joining were EUSA Student Commission member Esli de Kok; Dean of the University Camilo ,Jose Cela; Miguel Angel Perez; and CEDU Secretary General, Txus Mardaras.

 

They agreed that such discussions should be held more frequently because it was a rare occasion when all major stakeholders of University Sport sat together and talked about the perspective and place for further development of every stakeholder.

 The FISU-EUSA Strategic Dialogue discussions focused squarely on advancing on university sport–both within the European membership, and globally as well

FISU Senior Executive Committee Member Verena Burk lead the panel session dedicated to good practice in the University Sport. Ms. Burk’s session was entitled “University sports models across Europe: compatibility and implications for intra-university competitions format.” Several others shared their experiences on the subject, including Bill Thompson, Mozes Szekely and Daniel Monteiro. The group also pointed out the organization structure and activities of their national university governing bodies – the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), Hungarian University Sports Association (MEFS/HUSF) and the Portuguese University Sports Federation (FADU).

 

Sara Rozman, the EUSA Education and Development Manager, lead the third and final panel on the cooperation between the national university sports associations and universities. Ms. Rozman’s part of the strategic dialogue sought to answer if the University Sport Movement can go beyond sports competitions. Joerg Foerster, President of the German University Sports Federation, (ADH) and Aitor Canibe Sanchez, Director of Sport of the Educational Institution SEK, spoke about the programme and activities that enable those student-athletes who want to combine top athleticism and higher education to find successful outcomes.

 Participants at the FISU-EUSA Strategic Dialogue session

The FISU-EUSA Strategic Dialogue also provided the perfect venue for the FISU President to sign a Memorandum of Understandin with EUSA as the document signifies the mutual understanding between the two organizations that they will not only strengthen their cooperation, but that together they will help further progress university sport in Europe and the world at large

 

During the conclusion of the talks, EUSA President Roczek thanked FISU President Matytsin for supporting the event and for their long-term cooperation. Mr. Roczek also thanked EUSA Treasurer Lorenz Ursprung and Mr. Eder for their expert moderation of the event. Ever gracious behind the microphone, Mr. Roczek also thanked the hosts of the Strategic Dialogue who made the event possible: Spanish University Sport Committee, University of Camilo Jose Cela, local volunteers, and the staff of EUSA and FISU.