En quête d'inspiration: Circle U trip to Paris offered new perspectives on the sports science programme

Rethinking education requires both insight and outlook – and looking beyond borders can offer valuable inspiration

At the Department of Sports Science, a new degree programme structure is on the horizon. As part of the process, Teaching Associate Professor Simon Lønbro and five colleagues from the department went on an inspiration trip to Paris Cité University, where around 1,000 students are currently studying sports science.

“Our working group has expanded, and we’re actively rethinking how we deliver sports science here at Aarhus University. So it was the perfect time to visit some of our partners within the Circle U alliance for fresh ideas and peer exchange,” says Simon Lønbro.

Paris Cité was chosen because, like Aarhus, their approach combines both theory and practice in sports science. But there are still significant differences, Simon notes:

“It was fascinating to see how their practical teaching focuses on helping students improve in a specific sport. In contrast, our approach is much more centred on didactics – on how our students can communicate their knowledge and apply it in their future careers.”

Despite the differences, the visit proved highly beneficial – not least in confirming that the Danish programme is on the right track, according to Simon Lønbro:

“Above all, we realised that what we’re already doing might not be so bad after all. Our balance between theory and practice is well thought-out and produces graduates who are better prepared for the job market here in Denmark. At the same time, we came away with fresh ideas about how to bring the wider society into our teaching activities, and we’re looking forward to exploring those further.”

Although the trip reinforced the idea that “there’s no place like home,” the team gained a lot from the experience – including new opportunities for international collaboration.

“We had some inspiring conversations with their international coordinator. They already have strong partnerships across Europe and in Canada, and they were very keen to develop a formal collaboration with us. Since we already offer some courses in English, it would be a natural step to start by welcoming a few French students to Aarhus on exchange.”

Go on that  Circle U inspiration-trip

Simon Lønbro encourages colleagues across the faculty to consider visiting one of the nine Circle U partner universities:

“It was fairly straightforward to apply for funding and support for the trip, and the experience has given our group a lot of food for thought – not to mention a stronger sense of social cohesion, as we had the chance to spend time together in a very different setting from our usual busy routines.”