Webinar for university management provides a compact package of sports information

On 6 February, thirty or so representatives of university management took part in the webinar to discuss the links between physical activity and study ability, as well as current development work for University on the Move and University in Sport.

Sirkku Linna, Director General of the Department for Higher Education and Science Policy at the Ministry of Education and Culture, started by reviewing the national means by which university sports are currently promoted.

One example is the strategic funding agreed with universities. According to Linna, the Ministry had discussed community, wellbeing and physical activity with universities and wanted to include provisions on the development of workplace and student wellbeing in the agreements. The agreed measures are linked to the educational attainment target of at least 50% of young adults holding a tertiary degree.

The Director General stated that students’ physical activity has increased, but they still sit a lot. She highlighted the work of OLL and Finnish Students on the Move in promoting a culture of physical activity and reducing sedentary time among students.

Linna also praised the work done under the leadership of the Olympic Committee to develop top athlete-friendly universities, as young people should not have to choose between a career in sports and their studies. She noted that flexible study options are important for all students.

The three levels of physical activity and learning

In her talk, brain researcher and Professor of Educational Sciences Minna Huotilainen presented research on the links between exercise and learning. Several studies have found that 5–30 minutes of physical activity has a positive effect on post-exercise learning. Even a couple of minutes of physical exercise just before a cognitive test improves test performance.

Huotilainen outlined the three levels of physical activity and learning, which can be used to assess the stage of development of physically active studying. Taking active breaks from learning is the fundamental element, or lowest level, of the model.

At the intermediate level, you do not just take breaks from sitting but make movement part of your studying by way of, for example, various working positions and furniture. At the most advanced level, studying is planned so that the body and physical activity are used as tools for learning.

The model challenges you to think about what kinds of solutions could be made at your university to integrate movement first into the teaching arrangements and then even into actual learning. Discovering a physically active lifestyle can also be supported outside of studies. In addition to sports services and tryouts, universities can, for example, facilitate school commuting with proper bicycle storage and washing facilities.

Sports experts support universities

Experts from the Olympic Committee and OLL gave the attendees updates on the current processes in university and student sports that universities can use to develop their own activities.

Jukka Tirri, Senior Specialist for Student Sport at the Finnish Olympic Committee, talked about the Top Athlete Friendly University quality label and the progress of networking. So far, 14 universities have been awarded the label.

According to Tirri, the development of a top athlete-friendly university delivers individual and flexible practices for all students. The audit process for obtaining the quality label has helped raise awareness of the importance of dual careers for athletes in universities and has often triggered concrete development actions already during the process.

Finally, Niko Peltokangas, Head of Communications & International Affairs at OLL, presented resources that universities can leverage in developing University on the Move and University in Sport. The Federation provides its members with information for the development of university and student sports, offers expert support for everyday development work and carries out national advocacy to improve exercise conditions.

OLL is currently collecting information on the use of strategy funds at universities and on ways to support student athletes’ participation in competitions. The Federation is also preparing for the 2027 parliamentary elections by influencing the parties’ election platforms.