With the goal of inspiring graduates to sustain active, healthy lifestyles post-
university, the much-anticipated project Future links for University athletes with
Sports clubs Integrating Organised Networks (FUSION) officially kicked off on
December 7th, 2024, in the prestigious Rectorate of the University of Ljubljana.
Partners from five European
organisations coming from
different countries met to discuss
important aspects of the project
and ensure that the project will
be implemented well. Present at
the meeting were representatives
of the Toulouse University Club
(TUC), the Latvian University
Sports Federation (LUSF),
the Lithuanian Student Sports
Association (LSSA), University
of Hamburg (UHAM), and the
EUSA Institute, established by
the European University Sports
Association (EUSA).
FUSION seeks to address a
growing concern: the decline in
sports participation and drop-
out from sport among young
graduates, a trend exacerbated
by the COVID-19 pandemic. By
identifying the needs of students
and graduates through surveys,
the project aims to engage key
stakeholders at networking events
and provide practical resources
like a podcast series to promote
lifelong sports engagement.The kickoff meeting began with
partner introductions, setting
a collaborative tone for the
day. Markus Schneider, EUSA
European Solidarity Corps
volunteer, outlined the project’s
core aspects, ensuring all
partners were aligned with the set
milestones.Financial and administrative
details, presented by EUSA’s
Projects and Policy Manager
Andrej Pisl, clarified the
foundation for implementation.
Partners were keen to ask
questions and share their ideas
and thoughts, showcasing
everyone’s enthusiasm for the
project.Partner meeting was also
attended by EUSA Secretary
General Matjaz Pecovnik, whose
endorsement of the project
underscored its importance
within the (university) sports
community.As the FUSION project takes its
first steps, the kickoff meeting
in Ljubljana has set a strong
foundation for its success. By
addressing the critical issue
of post-graduation sports
participation, the project has the
potential to make a meaningful
impact on the well-being of
young graduates across Europe.
With upcoming activities like
surveys, networking events, and
a podcast series, the partners
are more than ready to deliver
innovative solutions that inspire
lifelong engagement in sports.
Stay tuned for updates on theproject’s progress and upcoming
initiatives aimed at empowering
graduates to prioritize their health
and fitness journeys.The next time the FUSION
Project partners will meet is in
June 2025 in an online meeting,
discussing the outcomes of the
survey which the upcoming
networking events are going to
be based on.MORE INFO:
http://www.fusion.eusa.euSPORTS CLUBS INTEGRATING
ORGANISED NETWORKS (FUSION)
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