Understanding academic perspectives on dual career pathways in higher education

Abstract

Numerous studies have highlighted the challenges dual-career (DC) athletes face in balancing sport and academia. Despite the development of the European Guidelines on the Dual Careers of Athletes (2012), FEPSAC’s Position Statement (Stambulova et al., 2024), as well as extensive research (Fuchs et al., 2021; Stambulova & Wylleman, 2015, 2019) and Erasmus+ projects addressing this issue, many academics, particularly those outside the field of sport, still remain insufficiently informed about the challenges faced by DC athletes and how best to support them. This study aimed to explore academics' perceptions of the difficulties they encounter in supporting DC athletes in a small country, and potential avenues to enhance institutional support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 academics in Malta, using purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling. The data were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis. Findings revealed two key themes: Navigating demands: the challenges of supporting DC athletes, and Cultivating a winning environment: Strategies for academic support. The first theme focuses on the challenges academics face in balancing their obligations with the need to address students' needs. The second theme centers on moving forward and developing strategies that academics believe could better support students in the future. The findings underscore that effective DC support requires a shift from discretionary, individualised academic practices to coordinated, institutionally embedded systems. The study reinforces the importance of culturally and structurally sensitive DC frameworks, where limited professional sport pathways and infrastructure amplify the need for educational institutions to play a central role in athlete development.