STUDENT-ATHLETE CONNECT
Elite sport and higher education in the Brussels-Capital Region
For the 2023 call of Dynamic Brussels "A Young and Lively Region", the dpt. Topsport en Studie submitted as a coordinator a new project phase entitled "Elite sport and higher education in the Brussels-Capital Region: STUDENT-ATHLETE CONNECT". We are very excited to announce that our project will be funded by Dynamic Brussels. The project will be led by the dpt. Topsport & Studie of VUB (prof. dr. Koen De Brandt and prof. dr. Paul Wylleman) in collaboration with ULB Sports.
The aims of STUDENT-ATHLETE CONNECT are to:
- provide social support to talented and elite athletes studying in the Brussels-Capital Region and connect them with other (student-)athletes and the broad campus community in order that they can combine elite sport and education in a safe, supportive and healthy environment; and
- develop and realize a monitoring and support system within a network of educational institutions and sports organizations in the Brussels-Capital Region for the guidance of their athletes who are studying.
Initially, a focus group will be organized with athletes studying in Brussels and the Study Guidance Service (e.g. from VUB, ULB) to collect feedback on the social initiatives we wish to implement. These initiatives are about developing and implementing: (a) a mentoring program for student-athletes; (b) a media channel with specific content for student-athletes (e.g. Instagram); (c) workshops / Q&A sessions with student-athletes (e.g. Olympians, elite student-athletes in the vocational field); (d) a workshop on actively supporting fellow student-athletes in their mental and social well-being; and (e) a photo shoot specifically for student-athletes who are studying.
More information on the project? Please contact Koen De Brandt (koen.de.brandt@vub.be).
