CUS PADOVA

CUS Padova is the Sports Association of the University of Padova (Italy). Founded in 1946, it has a long-standing mission to promote sport as a cultural, educational, and social tool, supporting the holistic development of students, young people, trainers, and university staff through physical activity and non-formal learning. CUS Padova works in close cooperation with several University of Padova departments, particularly in the fields of sport sciences, psychology, education, and medicine, and is an active member of national and international sport networks, including FederCUSI (Italian University Sports Federation), FISU (International University Sports Federation), and EUSA (European University Sports Association). With over 5,000 members, including around 900 competitive athletes and 1,400 students engaged in amateur sport, CUS Padova is one of the most well-structured sport organisations in the region. It manages two sport facilities and offers activities in 15 sport sections, including athletics, rugby, volleyball, basketball, wheelchair basketball, judo, fencing, triathlon, ultimate frisbee, tennis, table tennis, and others. Beyond competitive sport, CUS Padova has strong expertise in sport for all, dual careers, and inclusive and adapted physical activity. It designs and delivers educational programmes, training courses, and non-formal learning activities for children, young people, adults, coaches, sport managers, and disadvantaged groups. In particular, CUS Padova is highly committed to inclusion of people with disabilities, hosting the first Italian university wheelchair basketball team and regularly organising adapted sport activities and training programmes for instructors working with people with special needs. Since 1988, CUS Padova has organised numerous national and international sport events, which also serve as platforms to promote core sport values such as inclusion, gender equality, fair play, integrity, and Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA). Its sport facilities regularly host European and international student exchanges. Since 2014, CUS Padova has been actively involved in the Erasmus+ Programme, particularly in the fields of youth, sport, and education, participating as both partner and coordinator in multiple European projects. Through Erasmus+ actions, CUS Padova collaborates with a wide network of European organisations and continuously develops innovative approaches to non-formal education, life skills development, employability, and active citizenship through sport. CUS Padova is constantly looking for new European partnerships to design and implement projects that empower young people, support dual career pathways, promote inclusion and well-being, and strengthen the educational value of sport in society.