Dala Sports Academy
Dala Sports Academy is a collaborative project between Högskolan Dalarna and the regional councils of Falun and Borlänge that receives financial support from Region Dalarna and the European Regional Development Fund. Its purpose is to develop a strong athletic environment with the best possible conditions for elite athletes to study while pursuing sports. A further purpose of the project is to promote entrepreneurialism in the areas of sport and health. These factors form the basis of the innovative Dala Sports Academy.
Education and Research
A key player in the project is Högskolan Dalarna, a university that has been offering athletes the chance to combine elite sport with further education since the mid-1980’s. Today, approximately 80 athletes study while continuing with their elite sporting activities. Focus is on cross-country skiing, ski orienteering, track and field, cycling, and triathlon. Högskolan Dalarna offers four sport-focussed programmes: Teacher Education Programme - Sport Education, Media and Communication Programme - Sports, Media and Public Relations, Sports Coach Education Programme, and Sports Management. The university also has broad competence in both sport research and development, which is strengthened by resources from LIVI—the department of sport sciences. Today at LIVI, frontline research is being conducted in the field of sport and human biology. In collaboration with various sporting organizations and agencies, projects are in place for research and development.
Business
Previously, local and regional business sectors found it difficult to be part of and to make use of Högskolan Dalarna and LIVI. Thanks to Dala Sports Academy, it is now possible for businesspeople to produce new, and to develop existing, products and services through e.g. research and tests. These are carried out at suitable facilities by qualified athletes with the support of an organization that can meet the demands of small and large business.
Our goal at Dala Sports Academy is to create a complete and vital sports environment for business, education, and research.
