International Academic and Institutional Meetings Within the Scope of the Erasmus+ Project Have Been Held

Within the framework of the Erasmus+ Sport Programme project titled “Apprentissage des approches européennes de la littératie physique”, several academic and institutional meetings focusing on physical literacy, athlete development, and inclusive sport practices were organized under the hosting of Istanbul Gedik University. The project is coordinated by TOULOUSE UNIVERSITE CLUB, and Istanbul Gedik University is among the project partners. The international academic delegation visiting Türkiye within the scope of the project included Kim Samson, Richard Way, Benoît Maury, and Yann Prigent. Dr. Fahimeh Hassani, as a member of the project team, represented Istanbul Gedik University throughout all meetings and official visits.

On May 6, 2026, a meeting coordinated by the Erasmus Office of Istanbul Gedik University was held. During the meeting, the Turkish Maarif Education Model was evaluated within the framework of physical literacy. Discussions focused on movement-based learning in education, children’s physical development, and lifelong physical activity habits. Dr. Bahar Ünsal Yılmaz, Çağdaş Töre, and Furkan Akyüz also attended the meeting. On the same day, meetings were held with Sultanbeyli Belediyesi regarding sports activities, youth programs, and future collaboration opportunities.

On May 7, 2026, an official meeting was conducted with İstanbul Gençlik ve Spor İl Müdürlüğü. Discussions included the Long-Term Athlete Development Model (LTD) in Türkiye, talent identification programs, youth centers, and the role of sport within the “Century of Türkiye” vision. Salih Pınar, Dean of the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Istanbul Gedik University, accompanied the meeting.

On May 8, 2026, an official meeting was held with Türkiye Milli Olimpiyat Komitesi. During the meeting, information and experiences were exchanged on Olympic values, inclusive sport practices, the “Sport for Solidarity” Project, and physical literacy-based sport models. In addition, the Canadian “Sport for Life” approach was introduced and discussed as a model for quality and inclusive sport. Dr. Utku Tuna also attended the meeting.

All meetings and institutional visits contributed significantly to strengthening international academic cooperation, promoting the concept of physical literacy within the Turkish education and sport systems, and developing future Erasmus+ collaboration opportunities.