Professor Pongrác ÁCS PhD.
DEAN, Faculty of Health Science, University of Pécs, Hungary
Prof Dr Pongrác Ács is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Pécs, Hungary, and the head of the Institute of Physiotherapy and Sports Science as well as the leader of the Physical Activity Research Group of the Szentágothay Research Centre. He is a sports economist, table tennis coach, physical education teacher; Doctor of Economics (PhD), and leader and principal investigator of 11 research projects.
His research interest is focusing on sports and health economics, sports statistics, sports science research methodology, including the empirical investigation of the social and economic aspects of health and quality of life, the investigation of the impact of lifelong physical activity on health, education and society, as well as the sports consumption in Hungary and Europe and monitoring changes in physical activity habits. In relation to his sports carrier, he is a six-time Hungarian table tennis champion, eight-time Hungarian champion professional coach.
The number of his scientific publications: 531 (independent citations: 555, cumulative impact factor 103,179, Hirsch index 13). Author profil: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57090331300
Professor Renato MANNO
Former Education Coach Director of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), Italy
Professor at University San Raffaele in Rome, Italy
Prof Renato Manno is a former education coach director of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). In 1978 he was responsible for the development of field research in sport, and also developed studies on Youth Sport Population by setting-up test and studies on Motor ability and coordination. Prof Manno was in charge of the CONI coach Education program since 1980 until 1998 and again since 2008 until 2016. In 1999 he was appointed as chief of the Track and Field Study Centre of the Italian Federation (FIDAL); from 2000 to 2003 he was appointed General Secretary of the National Sport Medical association (FMSI) including the National Antidoping Laboratory. In 2003, he was appointed Professor at University of L’Aquila acting as President of the Bachelor and Master University courses in Sport Science.
He is a former member of the European and international Commission worked abureaux (European coach commission, AIESEP). He has worked in several technical and scientific commission of Sport National association: Cycling, Swimming, Volley, Modern Pentathlon, Canoeing, Boxing, and Combat Sport of which is now the coordinator of the Technical Scientific Commission. He was Member and Secretary of the Scientific commission of Olympic Preparation of CONI. Currently is Professor at University San Raffaele in Rome. He dedicated his professional activity both to coach education management and to scientific dissemination. The leitmotiv of his professional career has been the translation into sport practice of pivotal sport science research. He published seven books, two translated in 3 foreign languages (one in Rumanian) and more of 160 articles in national and international technical and scientifical journals.
Prof. Agron KASA PhD.
Rector, Sports University of Tirana, ALBANIA
Agron Kasa is the Rector of the Sports University of Tirana since 2020 to present.
He graduated in Physical Education and Sport Sciences and he’s Ph.D. in Physical Activity and Sport and Full Professor from 2015. Lecturer of Theory and Methodology of Sport Training since 1987 to present.
Over the years he also held the following institutional roles:
– Head of the Department of Professional and Education Sciences
– Head of the Department of Theory and Methodology of Physical Activity
– Scientific collaborator of pedagogical Studies Institute
– Member of Physical Education and Sports Commission – Ministry of Education and Sport
– Dean of the Faculty of Physical Activity and Recreation
– Member of the Academic Senate and actual President of the Academic Senate of Sports University of Tirana
– Member of CANFITPRO (Canadian Fitness Professionals)
He is the author of scientific papers indexed journals, university texts, course programs, physical education and sport curricula of different education levels. He has presented lectures at national and international institutions and congresses. He has been member and coordinator of research projects at national and international levels such as:
Tempus Project BALKANSPORT “Harmonizing Sport Science Curricula in the Balkans in the EU Perspective”;
Tempus Project SPEED “Sport Professions – Education, Employment, Development in the Balkan Region”;
Erasmus+ Project EntrAL ““Entrepreneurial skills for a modern education in Albania”
Over the years, he acquired specific expertise in the field of exercise science and sport, developing his research activity on training and on the study of the effect of physiological load in benefit of health and sport performance.