During the week of 16 to 20 March, Pablo Sainz, a student at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European Atlantic University, UNEATLANTICO) degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences (CAFYD), participated in the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Community-based Sport Development” organized by Windesheim University in the Netherlands.
The program, based on the “learning by doing” methodology, allowed participants to work with real sports organizations and collaborate with international students in creating community sports clubs.
Sainz explained that in the program they worked as a team and that, being composed of people from different nationalities, the experience was very enriching, since it allowed him to learn how the sport is practiced in various cultures.
The content included theoretical and practical classes on community sports development, visits to local organizations, sports and recreational activities, as well as group work and cultural and social interaction spaces.
This experience allowed the students to learn first-hand about the Dutch “grassroots” model, which focuses on community participation, inclusion and training in safe and accessible sports environments.
“I took the program as a way to learn how sport works in Holland and to get to know both the country and Zwolle,” said Sainz.
The BIP concluded with the presentation of the projects developed, showing the results of practical learning and applied knowledge in an international context.
This type of international initiatives offer UNEATLANTICO students the opportunity to expand their education, learn about innovative sports models and prepare themselves to face professional challenges in multicultural environments, encouraging both personal and academic growth.