Dual career in European universities websites : student-sportpersons’ needs of digital information and services : research data underlying the article

Doupona, Mojca (author)

Introducation. Higher education institutions (HEI’s) should provide accessible and effective support systems for student-athletes to enable them to successfully combine their academic studies with a professional career in competitive sports. Although university websites play an essential role in informing future sports students about the provided opportunities, substantial differences in the visibility, accessibility and communication of offered services exist. Methods. Within the Erasmus+Sport Find ME University Dual Career Opportunities project, this study explores the digital needs of student-athletes regarding digital information of dual career services. A qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews was performed to capture the experiences, perceptions and expectations of the 47 student-athletes from Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain. The textual analysis was conducted by applying a pseudo-statistical approach by means of a Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS), followed a content analysis to reveal main themes. Results.The findings highlighted logistical, financial, social, curriculum and tutoring support relevant for student athletes in choosing a University. Eight main themes were identified: accessibility of dual career services on and off campus, support networks for health and well-being, economic benefits, the role of the support environment, interpersonal relationships, flexible and personalized study options, distance learning, and professional tutoring specialized in dual career. Athletes also mentioned the need for clear and accessible online information on curriculum adaptation, sports facilities for training, accommodation, scholarships, transport, psychological support, and recognition of sports commitments at university level. Discussion and conclusions. The research results outline evidence-based recommendations for universities, policymakers and sports organizations to improve digital communication strategies and strengthen institutional support systems. These findings contribute to the development of the European FIND-ME platform, through a user-centered approach, which aims to increase transparency, mobility, inclusion and equitable access to university education for student-athletes across Europe.

• Language: English
• Keywords: dual career, student-athletes, higher education institutions, university websites, digital information services, athlete wellbeing, academic flexibility, social inclusion
• Typology: 2.20 - Research data
• Geographic coverage: Slovenia, Italy, Romania, Spain, Serbia
• Temporal coverage: 2025
• Organization: FŠ - Faculty of Sport
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-188362
• Data col. methods: Interview:Face to face
• Publication date in RUL: 29.09.2026

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: dvojna kariera, študenti športniki, visokošolski zavodi, univerzitetna spletišča, digitalne informacijske storitve, dobrobit športnikov, prilagodljivost študija, socialna vključenost

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Funding programme: ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnerships
• Project number: 101134043
• Name: University Dual Career Opportunities
• Acronym: FIND ME