Collaboration strengthens the possibilities for combining elite sports with work
Halmstad University and Trygghetsrådet TRS are initiating a collaboration aimed at developing knowledge about elite athletes who combine their elite sports careers with working life. This partnership, which includes a doctoral position, builds upon existing dual career support that enables elite athletes to combine sports with higher education.
“We are very much looking forward to this collaboration. It will give us important insights into the conditions for combining elite sports and work, and about elite athletes’ career transitions.”
Helene Bergstedt, CEO, Trygghetsrådet TRS.
Work is now underway to develop knowledge about combining elite sports and professional work. In this new collaborative project between Halmstad University and the Trygghetsrådet TRS, the University contributes its extensive research experience in dual careers and the combination of elite sports and academic studies, while Trygghetsrådet TRS provides expertise on elite athletes’ transitions from sports to professional careers.
For Trygghetsrådet TRS, the project represents a strengthening of the support currently offered by the organisation.
“We are very much looking forward to this collaboration. It will give us important insights into the conditions for combining elite sports and work, and about elite athletes’ career transitions. The collaboration with Halmstad University will benefit the development of Trygghetsrådet TRS’s support, both for elite athletes and within other sectors with elite-focused professions”, says Helene Bergstedt, CEO, Trygghetsrådet TRS.
The research will be conducted as part of a doctoral research project, with Joar Svensson employed as a doctoral student at Halmstad University. The project will focus on the combination of elite sports and professional work, an area where research so far has been limited.
“Today we have extensive knowledge and national guidelines regarding the combination of elite sports and studies, so this project is a natural next step in developing knowledge and career-long support for elite athletes”, says Lukas Linnér, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Development Leader at Halmstad University in its role as a Swedish National Sports University.
Annika Hamrin, Head of Development and Quality at Trygghetsrådet TRS, also emphasises the importance of the project:
“Hopefully, the project will generate unique insights to help us continue providing services that are both relevant and tailored to industry needs. The research and its outcomes create opportunities for elite athletes before, during, and after their sporting careers. Furthermore, skills supply is generally an important issue at all levels, making this project both valuable and timely.”The Swedish Sports Confederation regards the project as an important advancement in dual career support in Sweden, which has provided support for combining elite sports and education at the upper secondary level since the 1970s, and at higher education institutions since 2015.
“In the Swedish sports model, the dual career is crucial for many elite athletes. It is important to see the person behind the athlete, and this requires a strong support system throughout the elite sports career”, says Stefan Lund, Head of Sports Development at the Swedish Sports Confederation.
Text: Hilda Liberg
Photo: Dan Bergmark
About the collaborative project
The project is funded by Halmstad University within the research programme Movement for Health and Performance and by Trygghetsrådet TRS, with Arbetsgivaralliansen, Unionen, and the Swedish Sports Confederation serving as expert advisors.
Doctoral student Joar Svensson, who will work on the project, was employed at Halmstad University on 1 March 2025.
