Raising the bar: Minister Charlie McConalogue launches Sport Ireland Gold, Silver and Bronze Accreditation for Student Athlete Support

04 Feb 2026

Hannah Craig

National

Scheme helps high-performing student-athletes balance sport and education

Today (Wednesday, February 4th) Sport Ireland unveiled a refreshed Accreditation for Student Athlete Support, reinforcing our commitment to raising the standard of support for high-performance student-athletes across Ireland.

Accreditation for Student Athlete Support (ASAS) is based on providing equal opportunity to all high performing student-athletes to combine sport and education and is grounded in the right to education.

By introducing Gold, Silver and Bronze ASAS accreditation Sport Ireland is providing a clear benchmark for excellence within the student-athlete environment.

The new accreditation was launched at the annual Sport Ireland Dual Career Forum.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan said: “In order to achieve their best our student-athletes need to be supported, not just by their sports and coaches, but also by their educational institutions and lecturers. I welcome the new guidelines for National Governing Bodies, as well as this new tiered approach for Higher Education. Together, they will help to create clear expectations and provide pathways to ensure that everyone feels valued in this system."

As keynote speaker at the event, Minister of State with special responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy Charlie McConalogue, said: “ASAS ensures that high performing student-athletes across Ireland can successfully balance sport and education. Now this new Gold, Silver and Bronze ASAS accreditation raises the bar even higher. Supports such as this are vital in helping student-athletes achieve their potential both academically and in their sporting context.”

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Minister James Lawless, said: “It is encouraging to see the ASAS scheme continue to grow, recognising more higher education institutions for the vital role they play in supporting dual careers. High performance sport and higher education share core values of ambition and resilience, and when these sectors work together they create powerful opportunities for student-athletes. We want to ensure everyone can benefit from our education system, and ASAS is a key driver in making that possible.”

At the event Irish sprinter Marcus Lawler and Irish Olympic rower Margaret Cremen spoke about the support they receive from their institutions off the back of the ASAS framework.

ASAS accreditation outlines clear dual career criteria that third-level institutions must have to receive the accreditation.

The accreditation aims to identify and establish a network of accredited institutions which support elite athletes to achieve dual career excellence by applying guiding principles.

Liam Harbison, Sport Ireland Institute Director, said: “At Sport Ireland we place a high importance on supporting athletes and providing student-centred support for dual careers is one of the supports we’re most proud of. ASAS offers athletes real confidence that both their academic and sporting ambitions will be supported. We’re delighted to partner with those higher education institutions who have become ASAS-accredited under the new enhanced ASAS programme criteria.”

ASAS is delivered annually by the Sport Ireland Institute in partnership with Student Sport Ireland, and 14 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have achieved ASAS accreditation since the scheme launched in 2021.

It has been developed by the Sport Ireland Institute ASAS Steering Committee and approved by the Sport Ireland High Performance Committee.

Eoin Rheinisch, Head of Performance Life Skills, Sport Ireland Institute, said: “Now that a critical mass of HEIs have achieved the current accreditation, it is time to develop and push the standards of support for our student-athletes to the next level with the new Gold, Silver, and Bronze ASAS. The new gold criteria will help guide the 3rd level sector to provide world-class, fully integrated support to Ireland's best student-athletes.

“In recognition of the need for full collaboration across all stakeholders to provide truly integrated support, we are launching National Governing Body Guidelines (NGB) in tandem with the new ASAS Accreditation. These guidelines provide best practice research and guidance for performance directors, coaches, and other key staff to effectively support athletes to combine and achieve their potential both academically and in their sporting context.”

Jeff Gomez, Dual Careers Lead, Sport Ireland Institute, said: “By establishing clear standards, we are empowering institutions to provide consistent, high-quality support that aligns with international best practice. This formal network ensures that every student-athlete can access the integrated support they need to achieve excellence in both their sport and their studies.”  

ASAS Accreditation is designed to be a developmental pathway, helping an institution to build, enhance, and highlight its support systems.

The refreshed framework contains the following:

• The three tiers of accreditation: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

• The specific requirements and evidence needed for each tier.

• The step-by-step process for application and assessment.

• The benefits and support available.

Three HEI’s received the ASAS award today:

National College of Ireland
Maynooth University
Technological University of the Shannon

Accreditation for Student Athlete Support

Accreditation for Student Athlete Support (ASAS) is the national accreditation programme to recognise good practice in ‘dual career’ support for student athletes by higher education institutions (HEIs). Combining education or full-time work with a sporting career is known as a “dual career".

Over the last two decades, there has been an increase in the number of high-performance athletes engaging in third-level education. The short and long-term value of gaining an academic qualification in advance of athletic retirement has been well documented and includes;

benefits to performance
having a more rounded and integrated identity
enhanced personal development and future employability
a healthier post-athletic career adjustment

High-performance athletes have unique demands in comparison to the non-student athlete population (e.g. increased time and energy demands, increased accountability to various support providers, international travel, and competition requirements) and require flexible and supportive structures to successfully attain a dual career.

Creating an environment that supports dual career athletes is a key success factor. A suitable dual career environment requires understanding and consistent, structured support.

The ASAS Program is endorsed by Student Sport Ireland and ASAS awards to institutions in Northern Ireland are recognised by Sport Northern Ireland.

Fully accredited HEIs:

Queens University Belfast
Technological University Dublin
University College Cork
University of Limerick
Ulster University
Dublin City University
Maynooth University
National College of Ireland
Setanta College

Affiliate Status HEIs:

Trinity College Dublin
University of Galway
South East Technological University
Atlantic Technological University
Technological University of the Shannon

ASAS Accreditation and the Practical Guide for National Governing Bodies is available to view here: ASAS | Sport Ireland