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University of Padua (UNIPD) is one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious seats of learning. It is one of the leading Universities in Italy and with a long tradition of scientific excellence. UNIPD offers its 60,000 students 32 departments, 34 doctoral degree schools and 44 research and service centres across the spectrum of sciences, medicine, social sciences and humanities, with about 2,300 professors and researchers employed. UNIPD participates in more than 165 International Research projects within the 7
th Framework Programme and about 30 projects from other EU funds, accounting for more than 52 Million Euro. It has specific expertise on the management of European projects; it currently coordinates 30 FP7 projects.
The project will be managed at the Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), www.biomed.unipd.it. The DBS provides scientific and technical expertise in the areas of exercise and sport sciences, with specific focuses on exercise physiology, exercise and sport psychology and sport pedagogy. Physical education teachers’ initial and continuous preparation for primary and secondary school are part of the DBS commitments. The DBS is currently in charge of a bachelor on Sport and Exercise Sciences (120-student-year), cooperates in the organization of a master degree on Adapted and Preventive Physical Activity (52-student-year) and participates in the organization of a degree for Primary School Teachers Initial Preparation (200-student-year).
The person in charge of the cooperation in this Erasmus+ Sport Action project is prof. dr. Attilio Carraro. Prof. Carraro is an associate professor of exercise sciences at the DBS of the University of Padua, where he is the co-head of the Health Exercise and Sport Science Group (www.biomed.unipd.it/research/health-sport-and-exercise-sciences). Prof. Carraro is the head of the Sport pedagogy Unit, coordinating a team currently composed by Dr. Erica Gobbi, Dr. Ilaria Ferri, Dr. Matteo Cucchelli and Dr. Massimiliano Marino. Prof. Carraro and his team have a solid experience in the area of health and physical activity and have been/are involved in research projects investigating determinants (pros and cons) and strategies for promoting effective physical education, preventing PE teachers’ job stress and burnout, reducing sport dropout in youth athletes and to improving active living and reducing sedentariness in both the general population and clinical groups. A special consideration has been given in the last two years to the investigation of values education through sport. Prof. Carraro is currently leading a worldwide research project funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), aimed at developing and piloting a contemporary resource kit for teachers, that supports the delivery of their existing curriculum requirements for values-based education through sport. The team at the University of Padua has extensive experience in the field of inquiry on physical education, with particular focus on teachers’ training and burnout prevention and on antisocial behavior of pupils in relation to physical education contents. Another interest of the team consists in motivation to exercise and active living, considering enjoyment as a key element in long term participation. Regarding this field, investigations are aimed at exploring affective responses both during sport and leisure time participation.
Prof. Carraro has been the director of the Physical Education section at the Veneto SSIS (Inter-University School of Specialization for Secondary School Teachers) from 2002 to 2009. Carraro is the coordinator of the Erasmus programs for the sport and exercise sciences area at the University of Padua. He is a member of the AIESEP (International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education) Board of Directors, with the role of Vice-President chairing the scientific subcommittee.