Snježana Prijić Samardžija, the Prorector of the University of Rijeka, opened a round table at the Rectors’ Conference. The round table focused on dual careers and ended with the creation of the Memorandum of Understanding, a document which would serve as a lasting legacy for the next organizers of the European Universities Games. Well aware of the importance of academic sport and united in academic solidarity, the rectors issued a memorandum stressing out the important role of academic sport. They aim to contribute to its development in Europe, to overcome differences and promote the spirit of community, friendship and cooperation. The Memorandum is a reminder of the complexity and importance of academic sport as a springboard for future professional careers of student athletes.
This is what the American guest, Mark Emmert, the president of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), talked about. Academic sport is exceptionally popular in the USA; it has a large audience, but managers and professional clubs keep an eye on it as well. American and European models are very similar, but we have more experience, says Emmert. Academic sport has numerous advantages, but only if it is well organised. Emmert added that sport should encourage the academic success of students and allow them to balance their academic and sport activities, giving them the support they need so they would have a complete experience of being a student as well.
Damir Knjaz, the dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology Zagreb, stressed the benefits of physical activity. However, the fact that a large percentage of children and 65 per cent of adults are not physically active is worrying. America has a high number of student athletes; still, only two percent of them continue to compete at the Olympic level. This indicates that they do not do sports for fame and success, but for sport itself and the pleasure it brings.
The government provides little funding for sports and physical activities in general, and Knjaz stated he hoped things would change in the future. Ana Znaor, the world kickboxing champion who has graduated from the Faculty of Teacher Education in Rijeka, has always been successful, both in sports and her university education. She does not work in her profession, but, according to law, she cannot work as a professional kickboxing trainer, since she does not have a degree from the Faculty of Kinesiology.
Student athletes with disabilities will compete at the European Universities Games for the first time. This decision was supported and praised by Mihovil Španja, the Paralympic swimming champion, who is also the ambassador of the European Universities Games. There should be no differences between athletes. For student athletes, higher education is extremely important as a gateway towards a future career, when their sports career ends. Dalibor Krpan has learned a lot from taekwondo, which encouraged him to found the Taekwondo Academy at the University of Rijeka. There’s more to sport than competition; ‘it is the most important activity of all civilization,’ said Krpan.
At the end of the Rectors’ Conference, all participants expressed their hope that everything would work out for the good of student athletes, and that the Games were an important step towards it. An important message was sent to the youth- do sports!
