Utrecht University and FC Utrecht started a partnership to contribute to the growth ambition of the Utrecht region. The partnership kicks off with two research projects: (1) team performance and team spirit, (2) community building.

The first project aims to contribute to the human capital agenda of the region and is managed by dr. Marian Thunnissen. The second project aims to narrow the gap in participation and health between rich and poor neighborhoods, and thereby sterngthen healthy urban life in Utrecht. This project is managed by prof. dr. Frank van Eekeren.

The overall project is managed by Frank van Eekeren, more information can be found here.

• prof. dr. Marian Thunnissen
• dr. Kathrine van den Bogert
• prof. dr. Paul Boselie
• dr. R.T. (Rick) Borst
• prof. dr. Frank van Eekeren

Undermining crime is a hot topic in Dutch public administration, policy and media. The mixing of the 'under- and upperworld’, is seen as a societal problem and a creeping threat of the integrity of public administration and its institutions. There is ongoing reporting and evidence that a significant amount of these criminal activities is taking place in and around sport, including a growing concern that undermining crime takes place at the local, amateur sport club level.

The objectives of the project are twofold:
1) Understanding the processes and impact of undermining crime in local sport clubs from the perspective of sport organizations better, by focusing on structural, cultural, social and geographical indicators;
2) Develop input for interventions, such as trainings/workshops, and stimulate discussions on how to deal with and prevent clubs from undermining crime and related integrity issues that emerge in sport.

We focus on a sample of sport clubs, in which processes and mechanisms related to criminal infiltration will be studied by using a mixed methods approach.

• prof. dr. Mariëtte van den Hoven
• dr. Gerald Mollenhorst
• dr. Inge Claringbould
• prof. dr. Frank van Eekeren

The goal of the EPOSM study is to enable a very rich and nuanced view on (sporting-related) match-fixing in different sports and cultures. Next to the prevalence of sporting-related match-fixing, the project aims to gain insights into (1) the characteristics of people who have been confronted with match-fixing, (2) moral and social psychological variables which could explain the process and attitude towards match-fixing, and (3) the current preventive approach against match-fixing in sport clubs. 

Additionally, the study results will be used to develop country specific action plans and workshops against match-fixing. In this way, the EPOSM project aims to (1) raise awareness about the prevalence of sporting-related match-fixing, (2) stimulate moral judgment regarding sporting-related match-fixing, and (3) share and transfer this knowledge.

The EPOSM project is an Erasmus+ Collaborative partnership in the field of sport, co-funded by the European Union, between academic and on-the-field organizations. It started in January 2020 and will run till 2022. The project team consists of: Ghent University (coordinating organisation), Utrecht University (Utrecht School of Governance, Sport & Society), The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), Play Fair Code, Croatian Olympic Committee, Lausanne University, Loughborough University, Panathlon International, International Centre Ethics in Sport (ICES), Counter Sport Corruption Foundation for Sport Integrity (CSCF), and the Council of Europe (associated partner organisation).

• Stef van der Hoeven (Ghent University)
• dr. Bram Constandt (Ghent University)
• prof. dr. Annick Willem (Ghent University)

Onderzoek naar Innovaties in publiek-private samenwerking bij multifunctionele sportaccommodaties (MFSA’s). Het onderzoek richt zich op de volgende onderzoeksvragen: Welke innovaties doen zich voor binnen deze samenwerking en welke betekenis hebben die voor de besluitvorming over multifunctionele sportaccommodaties? En wat zijn, op basis van wetenschappelijke kennis, concrete aanknopingspunten voor toekomstige investeringen in sportaccommodaties met lagere faalkosten en een hoger maatschappelijk rendement?

• Sofie van den Hombergh MSc
• dr. Maikel Waardenburg

Together with the Netherlands’ Institute for Sport and Physical Activity (NISB) and fifteen National Sport Organizations (NSOs), representing over 3.2 million sport club members, this research project examines changes in membership and engagement in sport clubs. Combining a sociological, geographical and public administration perspective, we analyze to what extent people bond themselves to one another in sport clubs and are willing to engage themselves with their club. We zoom in on regional and social differences and variations with respect to each branch of sport. The study is based on a mixed methods design, including both quantitative and qualitative research and the application and assessment of interventions. The goal of the research project is to develop new insights into (changing) meanings of citizenship, membership and membership organizations in Dutch society in general and sport organizations in particular. In doing so, we intend to help Dutch sport organizations to successfully anticipate and respond to changing meanings that sport participants attach to club membership and engagement, and to contribute to wider scholarly and public debates on civil society and social cohesion.

• prof. dr. mr. Mark Bovens
• prof. dr. Pieter Hooimeijer
• dr. M.G. (Michel) van Slobbe

• Stijn Verhagen (Hogeschool Utrecht)

• dr. Jeroen Vermeulen
• prof. dr. Albert Meijer
• prof. dr. Frank van Eekeren

SPLISS (see http://spliss.net) is a network for international comparative studies on high performance sport. The SPLISS studies are characterised by using existing and newly developed (theoretically well grounded) methods to benchmark national elite sport policies and to measure their competitive position. Furthermore SPLISS aims to increase the social relevance of research in sport by developing theories, methods and strategies to better determine the impact and value of elite sport policies of nations. By disseminating the results amongst performance directors, coaches and policy makers and by searching for practical applications, an important aim is also to reduce the gap between academic research and the information that is relevant for sport management practitioners.

• Prof. dr. Veerle de Bosscher (Vrije Universiteit Brussel); Prof. dr. Simon Shibli (Sheffield Hallam University); Prof. dr. Hans Westerbeek (Victoria University)

• dr. Maikel Waardenburg
• dr. Jan-Willem van der Roest
• dr. Jeroen Vermeulen