The quality by which athletes are able to combine their athletic career with their educational pathway through secondary and higher education impacts not only their educational and athletic development but also their vocational development and employability during as well as after their athletic career. This project develops and implements guidelines (cfr. EU Guidelines on Dual Careers of Athletes, 2012) by focusing on the need to enhance (a) athletes’ competences for developing their own dual career pathway and (b) the quality of dual career support experts/services provided to athletes preparing, managing and/or finalizing a dual career ‘education and sport’ pathway. It will (a) describe the competences, instruments and methods required by (a selection of) ±5.000 12-to-18 year old and ±4.400 18-to-25 year old athletes to successfully prepare, manage and finalize their dual career ‘education and sport’ pathway; (b) develop a profile of competences as well as instruments and methods required by (a selection of) 525 dual career experts/support providers working with athletes in a dual career ‘education and sport’ pathway. Results will be disseminated via a website, social networks, articles/presentations, reports and dedicated workshops and conference. This project is innovative and has an added value at EU level as it (a) provides competence profiles for athletes and dual career support providers as well as instruments and techniques to optimize dual career support services, (b) is conducted by a consortium of internationally renowned experts from research as well as from dual career services in elite sport from nine countries from North, East, South and West of Europe, and (c) provides the basis for a European framework of reference for athletes’ competences regarding this dual career pathway and competences of dual career support providers allowing for a European guide within existing or newly to be developed dual career services within the Member States.