On 20 January 2026, the GOLF4GENS consortium officially launched its journey with a successful Kick-Off Meeting in Paris, France, hosted by École des Ponts Business School (EPBS). The meeting brought together representatives from all project partners to establish a shared vision, define priorities, and lay the foundations for two years of collaboration under the Erasmus+ Sport Programme. The agenda covered all five project Work Packages, their deliverables, timelines, and partner responsibilities, providing a clear roadmap for implementation.
GOLF4GENS is an ambitious European initiative that aims to support grassroots golf clubs in becoming more sustainable, resilient, and environmentally responsible. By combining circular economy principles, biodiversity education, nature-based solutions, digital innovation, gamification, and artificial intelligence, the project will develop practical tools and educational resources that help golf clubs address environmental challenges while engaging golfers, coaches, and local communities.
The consortium consists of seven organisations representing six European countries:
- École des Ponts Business School (France) – Project Coordinator
- Friends of Bulgarian Golf (Bulgaria)
- Bulgarian Golf Association (Bulgaria)
- Austrian Golf Association (Austria)
- Iceland Golf Union (Iceland)
- Romanian Golf Federation (Romania)
- Silivri Klassis Golf Sports Club (Türkiye)
Throughout the meeting, partners reviewed each Work Package in detail, discussing project management, monitoring and evaluation, the development of the Golf Bridge Model, pilot implementation, skills validation, and communication and dissemination activities. Particular attention was given to Work Package 2, which will deliver the project’s core outputs, including the digital EU platform with Virtual Communities of Practice, the integrated research report on best practices, the Sustainable Golf Minds educational programme, the AI-powered learning assistant, and the GOLFBRIDGE suite of gamified learning tools.
The consortium also established a common implementation framework, confirmed key milestones, and agreed on the collaborative processes that will guide the project over the next twenty-four months. This first face-to-face meeting enabled partners to exchange expertise, strengthen cooperation, and ensure a shared understanding of the project’s objectives and expected impact.
As project coordinator, École des Ponts Business School welcomed partners to Paris and facilitated the discussions under the leadership of Vlatka Katusic, Project Coordinator, with the support of Hernán Ruiz. Their organisation ensured a productive and collaborative environment that allowed the consortium to begin its work with a clear direction and strong momentum.
With the kick-off meeting successfully completed, GOLF4GENS now enters its implementation phase. In the coming months, partners will begin research activities, develop the project’s innovative educational resources and digital tools, organise national workshops, and prepare pilot actions that will be tested across Europe.
The consortium looks forward to sharing its progress as GOLF4GENS works towards creating a more sustainable future for grassroots golf through innovation, education, and international cooperation.
Congratulations to the entire GOLF4GENS consortium on this important milestone! 👏 A truly inspiring initiative bringing together sustainability, innovation, education, and golf. Wishing all partners a successful and impactful journey over the next years!