Hosted under the theme “Delivering Inclusive and Impactful Sporting Programmes for All”, the Experience brought together representatives from the German University Sport Federation, Maastricht University, Vilnius University, University of Galway, Student Sport Ireland and the European Network of Academic Sports Services (ENAS).

The programme provided an opportunity for colleagues from across the European university sport sector to exchange ideas and explore initiatives developed by Trinity Sport to make sport and physical activity more accessible and inclusive for its community.

Taking place during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Experience also provided an opportunity to demonstrate Trinity’s role as a place where people from across Europe can come together to share expertise, exchange knowledge and develop responses to common challenges.

Across the programme, participants took part in a series of workshops, discussions and practical sessions exploring mental health and sport, women in sport, disability awareness, accessibility and LGBTIQ+ inclusion and visibility.

Daniel Twomey, Sport and Physical Activity Inclusion Officer at Trinity Sport, led several sessions throughout the Experience, including a workshop exploring Trinity Sport’s Mind Body Boost programme, alongside sessions focused on integrating accessibility within sport and LGBTIQ+ inclusion and visibility.

Participants also took part in a Women in Sport session, “Much Done and More to Do”, led by Lisa Cafferky, Student Sport Pathway Manager at Trinity Sport. The session shared best practice and learnings from Trinity Sport’s Women in Sport campaign, which received the FISU Gender Equality Project Award, while exploring the progress made and the work still required to create greater opportunities, representation and visibility for women in university sport. The programme also provided an opportunity for delegates to experience Ireland’s sporting culture through an introduction to Gaelic Games.

The second day of workshops placed a particular emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. Following a tour exploring accessibility within the Trinity Sport Centre, participants took part in a Disability Awareness in Sport session delivered in collaboration with Trinity Disability Service and the Irish Wheelchair Association. Christopher Cunningham from Trinity Disability Service contributed to the session, which included wheelchair basketball and provided valuable insights into creating more inclusive and accessible sport and physical activity programmes for students with disabilities. The programme concluded with a session led by Daniel Twomey focused on Pride in Sport and LGBTIQ+ inclusion and visibility.

Matthew Dossett, Deputy Director of Sport and Physical Activity at Trinity College Dublin, said:

“We were delighted to welcome colleagues from across Europe to Trinity for the 2026 ENAS Experience. Universities have an important role to play in creating sporting environments where everyone feels that they can participate, belong and thrive. The Experience gave us an opportunity to share some of the work taking place across Trinity Sport, but equally importantly, to learn from the expertise and experiences of our colleagues across the European university sport community. That exchange of ideas is incredibly valuable as we collectively look at how we can make sport and physical activity more inclusive, accessible and impactful.”

Daniel Twomey, who recently started in the role of Sport and Physical Activity Inclusion Officer at Trinity Sport, commented: 

“It was a privilege to welcome colleagues from across Europe to Trinity and to create a programme centred on inclusion and accessibility. Throughout the ENAS experience, we wanted to go beyond presentations and create opportunities for participants to get involved, discuss challenges and share their own experiences. I hope everyone left Dublin with practical ideas they can bring back to their own universities, while we have also taken a huge amount from the knowledge and perspectives shared by our European colleagues.”

Alongside the professional programme, delegates had an opportunity to explore Trinity’s historic campus, visit the Book of Kells Experience and experience Dublin’s culture and sporting heritage. The 2026 ENAS Experience reflected the value of collaboration and knowledge exchange across the European university sport community, while providing an opportunity for Trinity Sport to share its work and learn from international colleagues committed to making sport and physical activity more inclusive for all.