Four Months, Countless Experiences: Reflecting on My Research Stay at PESS

It has undoubtedly been an incredibly enriching research stay, not only professionally but also on a personal and family level. Ireland is a country of endless landscapes; its bountiful natural beauty makes its nickname, ‘the Emerald Isle’, well deserved.

Being able to live and study at the University of Limerick alongside people with different ways of thinking, and to see first-hand how Irish physical education teachers, coaches and researchers are trained, has been very rewarding for me. I’m returning to the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) with a wealth of new experiences.

Learning Through Teaching and Collaboration

Among other activities undertaken over these past few months, I have been able to take part in the ‘Sociology of Physical Education’ module taught by Professor Antonio Calderón, which involved academic discussions with third-year students on the Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences on various current topics, such as the implementation of pedagogical models, social justice, and gender and Physical Education.

I was also able to attend the presentation of final-year projects by students on the Physical Education and Physical Activity and Sport Sciences degree programmes. In addition, meetings were held with PhD students and researchers in the early stages of their academic careers to assist them with their projects and to explore future avenues for collaboration.

Advancing Research Together

At a scientific level, meetings have been held with Professor Ann MacPhail to analyse and establish synergies between researchers from the two institutions. Priority was given to the line of research on physical education and sustainability, given that the University of Limerick is establishing an international chair dedicated to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Working meetings have also been held with Professor Antonio Calderón to investigate the appropriate implementation of the sports education model with vulnerable students and those facing social exclusion.

Sharing Research

I have participated in national and international forums in Ireland during this period, such as the ED-TED International Conference, where I presented a critical and scientific analysis on the topic: ‘Teacher Educators’ Professional Learning for Equity and Diversity: Needs, Supports, and Policy Implications’. This forum on teacher development in education forms part of an Erasmus+ project co-funded by the European Union.

I also took part in the PEPAYS Forum – Ireland 2026, the most prominent national event for researchers in Physical Education, held on 12 June 2026 at Dublin City University (DCU).

Thank You

I would like to thank everyone I have met during my time here; I have learnt a great deal and hope to have made a contribution over these four months, not least to the researchers Nico Luna, Mirko Aguilar, Hannah Coughlin, Lucia Sanchis, Will Hughes, Jenna Lorusso, Brendan O’Keeffe, Elaine Murtagh, and others.

In particular, I am grateful for the hospitality and the in-depth discussions I’ve had with Professors Antonio Calderón and Ann MacPhail, who are outstanding professionals and even better people. I am sure we will collaborate on securing funding and conducting research in the future.

Finally, I would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for the funding provided for senior teaching and research staff to undertake stays at overseas institutions, which has covered part of the costs associated with this research visit.

Professor Sixto González-Víllora
University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)