The European Network of Sport Education (ENSE) was founded in 1989 (then known as ENSSHE - "European Network of Sport Science in Higher Education" and later known as ENSSEE, or "European Network of Sport Science, Education and Employment"). The aim was to create a European platform for education in sport sciences and physical education. Specifically, at the time the objectives were to establish a specialized network of institutions, bring them together, promote cooperation and help grow sport education while also making sure it was adapted to current labor market needs.
These goals proved to be far-sighted, as similar objectives were also part of the Bologna process nearly a decade later. From current activities such as SPEED to past projects such as AEHESIS, ENSE has always proven to be a leader in sport education, employment and policy.
This leadership led ENSE, in 1996, to obtain European Recognition and be selected by the European Union as the thematic network for research, training, and the study of qualifications and employment in the field of sport. As such, much of ENSE's work has become standard reference in the sector. The list includes the European Qualification Framework for the five levels of Coach Education, Fitness, European Masters, Diplomas, Intensive Programmes and the nomenclature of sport economic activities (NEARS) and occupations (NEORS).
While always focusing on this interplay between sport, education and employment, ENSE has been in continuous growth and evolution since its inception. Beginning in the 1990s, many of the organisation's sub-committees established themselves as separate and independent entities, including the European Association for Sport Management (EASM) in 1993, the European College of Sport Sciences (ECSS) in 1995 and the European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA) in 2001.
| Year |
Event |
| 1989 | ENSSHE is founded |
| 1993 | European Association of Sport Management (EASM) established as a separate organisation |
| 1994 | Vocation Fitness considered as a sub-group of ENSSHE |
| 1995 | European College of Sport Science (ECSS) established as a separate organisation
European Committee for Sports History (CESH) established as a separate organisation |
| 1997 | European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE) established as a sub-group of ENSSHE |
| 2001 | ENSSHE becomes ENSSEE
European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA) established as a separate organisation |
| 2002 | European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE) established as a separate organisation |
| 2003 | Start of AEHESIS project |
| 2005 | European Coaching Council (ECC) established as sub-group of ENSSEE |
| 2007 | End of AEHESIS project |
| 2008 | AEHESIS project is nominated as ERASMUS Success Story by European Commission |
| 2015 | ENSSEE becomes ENSE |
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