The confinement to which the entire Spanish population has been subjected has been experienced in a very peculiar way in the world of high-level sport. With the Olympic Games postponed to the summer of 2021, the goal was to stay in shape. Although many athletes took the opportunity to catch up on their studies. Mireia Belmonte (Publicity and Public Relations), Paco Cubelos (Business Administration and Management), Javier Hernanz (Master for Access to the Legal Profession after finishing the Bachelor’s Degree in Law) and  Damián Quintero (Master in Management of Sports Entities) are some examples of the elite Spanish athletes that study at UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia thanks to its dual project that is the result of the alliance with COE (Spanish Olympic Committee).

During the year, they go on with their studies as they can, trying to save some time in the middle of the competitions. And although UCAM offers them flexibility to plan exams, internships and works, it is complicated for the athletes to be 100% focused on their studies with so many journeys and gatherings. But now, with no competitions, the athletes have had the chance to enjoy more free time at home and they have taken the chance to give an impulse to their studies.

The UCAM model has been a success facing the COVID-19 health crisis since, when the State of Alarm was declared, UCAM transferred its 15.000 face-to-face students to the online mode so that they could continue with their classes with the same schedule through the Virtual Campus, without even losing one day. The athletes of the UCAM-COE project, whose training has been guaranteed at all time, were already adopting this online mode.