In mid-October, the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education at the University of Niš hosted a six-day education and training program within the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Sport project “Inclusion and integration of disadvantaged groups in society through para swimming (ParaSwInclusion)”.
The education focused on the field of para swimming, gathering swimming coaches and physical education professors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro,as well as participants from Croatia.
The opening ceremony was hosted by the FSFV management team, including prof. dr. Tomislav Okičić (Dean), prof. dr. Saša Milenković (President of the Council), prof. dr. Saša Pantelić (Vice-Dean for Quality and Development), and prof. dr. Nemanja Stanković (Vice-Dean for Teaching and Student Affairs).Over three intensive days, participants attended a rich and interdisciplinary program covering key aspects of para swimming.
The lectures addressed theoretical and historical foundations of adapted swimming, practical methodologies such as the Halliwick method, training approaches for individuals with disabilities (including ASD), inclusive swimming instruction, physical preparation of (para) athletes, and the role of swimming in health, prevention, and rehabilitation. The program also emphasized topics such as anti-doping and training design for sub-elite para swimmers, combining both scientific and practical perspectives.Lectures were delivered by professors and researchers from the Facultyy, including prof. dr. Dejan Madić, prof. dr. Tomislav Okičić, prof. dr. Dragan Radovanović, prof. dr. Bojan Jorgić, prof. dr. Marko Đurović, prof. dr. Marko Aleksandrović, dr. Miljan Hadžović, and prof. Jasmin Gračanin.
Participants also visited the Čair Sports Center, observing swimming and wheelchair basketball training sessions as examples of good practices in adaptive sports
Integration with the FIS Communications 2025 Conference
The second part of the program took place during the 25th International Scientific Conference “FIS Communications 2025”, co-organized by FSFV and the Niš Science and Technology Park. The conference gathered authors from 15 countries, featuring keynote lectures by prof. dr. Francisco Cuenca Fernandez (University of Granada and Pablo de Olavide University of Seville, Spain) and prof. dr. Tijana Geroski (University of Kragujevac, Serbia).
Presentation of Project Achievements and Certificate Ceremony
Project achievements and upcoming activities were presented in a dedicated session opened by prof. Stojiljković Vice-Dean for Science and International Cooperation at FSFV. Certificates were awarded to all participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Croatia, recognizing their successful completion of the para swimming education.
According to Prof. Stojiljković:
“We are proud to continue FSFV’s strong tradition of work in sports for persons with disabilities. Adapted swimming became an integral part of our faculty years ago, and through ParaSwInclusion, we are strengthening that commitment even further.”
Participants expressed great satisfaction with the quality and practical value of the education:
“The knowledge we gained in Niš will be extremely helpful in improving our training strategies and planning,” said Ilda Kukuruzović, head coach of Swimming Club SPID (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
“This training was very meaningful both for expanding and systematizing our knowledge,” added Selma Purić, coach and former para swimmer from Sarajevo.
“FSFV professors shared their experience generously, and we look forward to applying it to develop para swimming in Montenegro,” stated Boško Radulović, representative of Swimming Club Mako (Montenegro).
Next Steps
This education program represents an essential milestone of the project, directly contributing to the creation of an internet-based training toolkit for coaches and professors. The FSFV team prepared booklet containing an optimized adaptive methodology for working with people with disabilities in swimming sports.
This booklet will serve as the foundation for further development of Paralympic swimming in the Western Balkans, expanding the inclusion of persons with disabilities through a broader network of educated coaching and teaching professionals.
The next ParaSwInclusion activity will take place in Sarajevo on November 11, 2025, where experts will deliver lectures to students and professionals at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sarajevo.