Vrije Universiteit Brussel supporting Para Football

The Vrije Universiteit of Brussel joins Para Football as an academic partner to support the development of football for persons with disabilities at all levels of the game. Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an internationally oriented university in Brussels, the heart of Europe. Through tailor-made high-quality research and education, VUB wants to contribute in an active and committed way to a better society for tomorrow. For more than 180 years VUB has helped build a better society as an innovative, free inquiring and critical thinking university. VUB is dedicated to providing opportunities for its students and creating research partnerships in line with their respective mission and objectives, and will collaborate with Para Football in facilitating the growth of football for persons with disabilities. From VUB's Evert Zinzen (Dean), Veerle De Bosscher (Sport Policy & Management) and Jos Verschueren (Sport Business): "The VUB strives to be an inclusive University and supports all initiatives to accomplish that. The faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy has built a tradition in Para Sport Policy research and the development of Paralympic athletes' pathways. While Para-sport is growing, research in the area still remains scarce (see appendix) and in many countries investments in Paralympic Sports is still underestimated. As such collaborations like this one will initiate more awareness and will provide, in the long run, mutual reinforcements. We are looking forward to share insights, to guide para athletes to top performances or to open up opportunities for sport for all initiatives. Football, being the number one sport in Belgium, will provide the ideal context to make our Faculty an inclusive one!"