The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the International University Sports Federation (FISU) have reinforced their long-standing partnership following a productive meeting at FISU Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. ITTF Secretary General Raul Calin met with FISU Secretary General & CEO Matthias Remund, along with the FISU Games Summer team, to discuss areas of mutual collaboration and future initiatives.
The discussions focused on key topics at the intersection of sport, education, and digital innovation, reaffirming the commitment of both organisations to enhancing opportunities for student-athletes worldwide.
FISU Secretary General Matthias Remund emphasised the organisation’s dedication to promoting university sport on a global scale, while ITTF Secretary General Raul Calin highlighted ITTF’s history of engagement with university-level table tennis and its ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with FISU.
Several key areas were explored during the meeting:
- Digitalisation in Sport: Recognising the transformative impact of technology, both organisations discussed ways to enhance accessibility and engagement through digital innovation.
- Expanding Collaboration: Beyond competition, ITTF and FISU emphasised the importance of academic exchange, knowledge-sharing, and strengthening ties in education.
- Formalising Cooperation: Talks advanced on updating collaboration agreements to institutionalise their long-standing partnership.
- Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games: Updates were shared on the event’s preparations and its anticipated impact on university sports, including table tennis.
- Integration of ITTF World Ranking Points: A key development in the partnership, the awarding of world ranking points at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games was confirmed by the ITTF
Reflecting on the meeting, Raul Calin emphasised ITTF’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with FISU: “The Partnership with FISU is important for the ITTF. Not only does University sports play a crucial role in the physical and mental well-being of students, promoting values such as discipline and consistency, but also, in some countries, provide table tennis athletes careers opportunities. . Strengthening our partnership with FISU allows us to support student-athletes in both their sporting and academic journeys. Furthermore, we believe that cooperation in educational areas with FISU table tennis development can benefit worldwide. We look forward to working together to ensure that table tennis continues to thrive in university sport.”