Can you introduce yourself in a few words and your role within your university?
I have been a lecturer in the Department of Education and Specific Didactics since 1991 and Director of the Sports Service of the Universitat Jaume I since 1992.
I have participated in different research projects related to sports performance and health programmes linked to physical exercise. I am currently involved in two ongoing research projects, one on physical activity and cancer, and the other on the menstrual cycle and sports.
I am responsible for the Villarreal CF Endavant Sports Chair, which is linked to top-level sportsmen and women at the Universitat Jaume I (…)
What attracted you to the SAMEurope project?
SAMEurope is a great opportunity for students who pursue dual careers to carry out an Erasmus+ mobility, reducing the problems that this mobility may cause for the continuity of their sporting and academic training.
It implies that the institutions and the athletes concerned are aware of the needs and adaptations to be implemented within the framework of higher education in the European Union.
What do you expect from it for your university ?
The project benefits (…) our working methodology, our communication, and our relationship with European partners. A common goal also fosters trust and resilience between our universities. It is also very rewarding to work on a project that will benefit so many students, thanks to a strong collaboration between us.
The project was launched in June 2022, what benefits have you already gained since?
The project (…) required us to understand in depth the details and operation of each university’s top-level student-athletes sections within the universities. We studied the structural and systemic differences between the regulations in each country and their application.
What has surprised you most about the project so far?
I was surprised by the ranking of top athletes in the different countries. I didn’t know that there were high-level student-athletes in cheerleading, bandy, flying disc, or downhill mountain biking.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm of the consortium members for this student audience, their receptiveness, and their determination to make the project a success.
