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About SSN

Student Sports the Netherlands (SSN) is the umbrella organization for student sports in the Netherlands. SSN is a national organization that represents the interests of the approximately 200,000 student athletes in the Netherlands. This applies to both top and recreational sports and for athletes who play sports individually

as well as for athletes who are members of an association. In addition, more than 50 student championships (NSKs) are organized annually!

Cooperation

Collaboration with our community

Student Sports the Netherlands has been an association since 2017 and has 16 members in 16

different cities. This group of members consists primarily of the 13 student sports councils (also known as OSSO’s). These OSSO’s represent the interests of the student sports associations and individual athletes at a local level. They

often work closely together with the university sports centre, of which a total of 14 are affiliated with SSN. Finally, three HBO institutions that are actively involved in student sports are affiliated with SSN.

 

In addition, we also work closely with Student Sports Unions (SSB) and organization committees (OC) of various events.

Affiliated members


As described above, SSN has a variety of different members within the student community. SSN has close contact with its affiliated members and represents the national student sport with and on their behalf.

Affiliated members

Student sport Unions


Just like regular sports, student sports also have sports unions (SSB). SSN currently has good and regular contact with eleven SSB’s. This means that there is an intensive cooperation in the field of NSKs and relevant information is exchanged.

Student sport Unions

Organisation committees


With regard to its events, SSN has various organisation committees with which there is a substantive and/or financial relationship. These committees are mainly the NSK's committees, the Batavierenrace, StudentenWintersport and the GNSK committee.

Organize an NSK

Mission

More than 200,000 students participate in sports during their studies. Sports contribute to

relaxation, development, meeting new people and maintaining a healthy lifestyle during their study time. It is our mission to promote student sports in the

Netherlands in all these facets, together with and on behalf of our strong and locally involved members. Together with its members, SSN wants to ensure that

students can exercise in order to contribute to both their physical and mental well-being.

Vision

A strong and future-proof student sports network is of great importance for the student community and the positive effects that sport can offer during the study

period. Young people who go to study often drop out of the regular organized sports networks and in some cases stop playing sports completely. Well organized Student sports can prevent this outflow and can ensure that these students maintain an active lifestyle within the student sports associations and sports centers. In addition, sport is also an important place for meetingand socializing, which is very important for the mental health of the student.

Core responsibilities

Our 3 core responsibilities

#1 Interest representation

One of SSN's three core tasks is to represent the interests of sports students at a national and international level. In this role, SSN firstly ensures well structured knowledge flows between OSSO’s, Student Sports Unions (SSBs) and Organizing Committees (OCs). For these parties, SSN also invests in talent development and SSN offers support through the SSN Academy. In addition, SSN maintains contact with external parties to defend the interests of the student sports. At national level, these are the Ministry of AZ and VWS, ISO and the NJR, which are regular discussion partners for national politics. On an international level, SSN maintains contacts with the EUSA and FISU, the European and World

Student Sports Organisations.

#2 Events

The second core task consists of organizing and supporting sports events within the student sports world. The biggest role of SSN in this is coordinating the Dutch Student Championships (NSKs) which are organized in more than 50 branches of sport. There are separate committees for the organization of all these NSKs. The task of SSN is to maintain an overview of the NSKs, to support these committees and to supervise the quality of the NSKs. Moreover, The Great Dutch Student Championship (GNSK) is held once a year. This is a cluster of a number of frequently practiced sports in the Dutch student world. This multi-day event is therefore one of the largest in Dutch student sports. Here too, SSN is actively involved in the organisation.

#3 Top sport

The third core task of SSN relates to top sport. SSN does not only represent recreational sport but also top sport. The SSN Topsport component is mainly concerned with sending Dutch participants to the World University Championships and the Universiades. In addition, SSN also sends athletes to European student sports events under the wing of EUSA. The SSN International committee is responsible for European

events.