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Home Programmes Dual Career For NUSFs Develop a Dual Career programme from the start for your universities

Develop a Dual Career programme from the start for your universities

Establishing a Dual Career programme at a university can significantly enhance the experience and success of student-athletes, whilst also benefiting the wider university community. As an NUSF, here are some steps to take to assist your universities to develop a Dual Career programme.

  1. Set up a meeting between the NUSF and the highest authority who is responsible for managing and delivering sport pogrammes on campus. Discuss the purpose for establishing a Dual Career programme.
  2. Set up a working group. This group can lead the process to determine the programme requirements.
  3. Undertake an audit of the university to list all of the support and services that are provided to student-athletes. Be sure to check academic and non academic departments about what services they provide (if any).
  4. Analyse each service and document who is the department and/or person responsible for making decisions about the service, who is responsible for delivering the service and who the student-athlete goes to for help in relation to the service.
  5. Identify gaps. Understand the areas where services are not offered. This list could long or short. Use the list of services in this document to assist you in identifying gaps.
  6. Analyse and review the staff resources required to implement a Dual Career programme. Determine who will be responsible for managing the programme and coordinating all the services.
  7. Identify the student-athletes that attend the university. You may need to talk to national sport federations as well as university enrolment to know who they are and how many.
  8. Review all the information and start to structure the Dual Career programme plan.
  9. The working group should prepare a report that outlines the information obtained in the steps above. Provide an executive summary on what was found and prepare to present the Dual Career programme concept/business case to the university hierarchy.
  10. Present the concept/business case to the key people at your university that will support and fund the idea and programme. Be sure to clearly state the benefits of having a Dual Career programme for the university.
  11. Take time to reflect and review the feedback you have received from your presentation. Make updates and amendments where necessary.