Matjaž Pečovnik: Let’s talk European university sports

The 2020 Summer Olympic Games recently kicked off exactly 364 days after their originally scheduled start in Tokyo, but most other international sporting events continue to face severe restrictions. According to Matjaž Pečovnik, the importance of sport in society is being demonstrated now more than ever in the midst of the pandemic. In this episode of the EAIE podcast, we sit down with the President of the European University Sports Association (EUSA), the umbrella continental organisation for sport in higher education, to discuss the role of sports in fostering friendship, goodwill and understanding across national borders and across cultures.

Sports have an innate power to connect, and international sport seeks to foster many of the same outcomes as international education. For more than two decades, the European University Sports Association (EUSA) has been creating opportunities for connection and friendly competition for thousands of student athletes across Europe – but due to COVID-19, 2021 is the second year in which it will not host any international sport events for students. Join us in our conversation with Matjaž Pečovnik as we explore the challenges faced by student athletes and the delicate balance between safety and maintaining strong international bonds.

About Matjaž Pečovnik

Matjaž Pečovnik has been the Secretary General of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) since 2004. Prior to that, he served as Secretary General of the Slovenian University Sports Association, and as Managing Director of the University of Ljubljana Student Union. Matjaž holds a degree in economics from the University of Ljubljana, and is an avid skier and tennis player.

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