Instructor leading a workshop with students.

Comillas Strengthens Inclusive Education in Europe Through Sport-Based Learning

Students and professors from four European universities gathered in Madrid to explore how sport can promote inclusion and social cohesion. The programme combined practical training with academic reflection.

Comillas Pontifical University, through its Faculty of Human and Social Sciences (Comillas CIHS), hosted the latest edition of the international programme “Inclusive European Societies through Sport” in Madrid. The initiative brought together professors and 21 students from Windesheim (Netherlands), Thomas More (Belgium) and Comillas’ EUPeace partner the University of Limoges (France), alongside Comillas participants, to examine how sport can serve as a tool for inclusion across Europe.

Students working in groups in a classroom.

Learning through practice

The programme followed a practical and experiential approach. Participants engaged directly in inclusive sport activities, including wheelchair basketball in cooperation with the Madrid Federation of Sports for People with Physical Disabilities (FMDDF), inclusive cycling and Paralympic sport sessions with Fundación También, and inclusive badminton sessions delivered with Special Olympics.

The badminton activity formed part of the BWF-funded project “Inclusive Badminton as a Training Tool in Higher Education: Preparing Future Coaches to Include Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities”. The project is currently being implemented by Comillas together with Special Olympics, the Spanish Badminton Federation, the University of A Coruña and Loyola Andalusia University. Through these activities, students gained first-hand experience of inclusive coaching methods and adapted sport practices.

Connecting local action with European cooperation

The programme also included sessions led by experts Marta Arce and Josema Conde, who shared practical methodologies and professional experience in inclusive sport. Their contributions helped participants link academic learning with real-world application.

By bringing together universities and local organisations, the programme strengthened cooperation across institutions and countries. It also supported the broader objectives of EUPeace by encouraging joint learning experiences and reinforcing the role of higher education in promoting inclusion, equal participation and social cohesion.