PhD position Identifying quality indicators and determinants of effective collaboration between municipalities and sports clubs: a review of the current situation and the joint development of recommendations and evaluation methods (VIPROSCeSS)

As part of a PhD project funded by the interdisciplinary LIFE TRAVEL program (Life Trajectories, Multimorbidity, Functional Ability, Quality of Life and Longevity), developed within the Lorraine University Excellence Initiative and the Erasmus+ APPACT project, we are seeking a PhD student to lead the VIPROSCeSS project, run by the INSPIIRE laboratory (‘Interdisciplinarity in Public Health, Interventions and Complex Measurement Tools: Eastern Region’), for a three-year PhD contract.

Description of the thesis project

To prevent the prevalence of chronic diseases, promote well-being throughout life, mitigate the effects of ageing, and maximise healthy life years, participation in sports clubs contributes significantly to mental, physical and social health, as well as to well-being [1]. Sports clubs play a significant role at the local level [2], yet local authorities (cities and communities within municipalities are defined by institutional boundaries: legal, political and civil [3]) rarely regard sports clubs as strategic partners, particularly on issues relating health and the promotion of healthy ageing [4-6]. Similarly, sports clubs do not always see the benefit of engaging with external stakeholders [7]. The literature reveals a shared vision among these stakeholders regarding health promotion (HP), but differing timeframes and operational approaches limit the potential for establishing fruitful and sustainable partnerships [4-6]. The aim of this thesis is to identify the quality indicators for effective collaboration between cities and sports clubs in the French context, and their determining factors, in order to optimise local networks, within an intersectoral framework and in the service of community health.

Methodology and techniques used 

Study 1: How do French municipalities and cities perceive the contribution of sports clubs to health?

Study design: Mixed-methods study (quantitative and qualitative). Data collection: An online questionnaire will be sent to elected representatives responsible for sport in 8,000 municipalities and cities belonging to the ANDES network – the National Association of Elected Representatives Responsible for Sport (expected response rate: 20%) – to ascertain their perceptions of the role of sports clubs in public health, the funding allocated, existing policy documents, the barriers and drivers to collaboration, and their determining factors. Following the responses, 10 municipalities (5 most active, 5 least active) will be interviewed to examine the processes and outcomes of public policy implementation. Expected results: An analysis of perceptions, existing actions by municipalities supporting health promotion within sports clubs, and their determining factors.

Study 2: How do sports clubs in French cities perceive, develop and maintain their relationships with local authorities to promote health?

Study design: Mixed-methods study with a QUAN(qual) design. Data collection: Following the selection of the 10 cities in stage 1 and the analysis of their responses, an online questionnaire will be sent to all sports clubs in these cities (between 20 and 200), to understand the relationships developed by these clubs in the field of public health and their perceptions of municipal support, as well as the determinants of collaboration. In addition, in each municipality, two clubs will take part in a capitalisation of experiences [2, 8] to understand the mechanisms of the collaborations at work. Expected outcomes: an analysis of the network of local stakeholders collaborating with sports clubs; a list of local policies; a list of collaboration barriers and facilitators identified by during interviews, along with their determining factors.

Study 3: Which quality indicators of effective collaboration to promote health between municipalities and sports clubs can be co-constructed?

Study design: Iterative participatory approach through the establishment of a mixed working group [9]. Data collection: 5 two-hour meetings with 6 local authorities, 6 sports leaders, 4 administrative staff responsible for sport at a regional level and 5 researchers from the project team. A pilot set of indicators will be tested with 10 volunteer sports clubs in Nancy. Expected results: A list of indicators assessing municipality-sports club collaboration along with their determinants.

Consortium

This project forms part of the PROSCeSS initiative (www.proscess.org), which is the result of a partnership between Santé publique France, the Université Côte d’Azur, the Université de Lorraine and the Ministry of Sport, the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The aim of this project is to further equip sports clubs and municipalities with tools to promote health. Several tools have been previously developed as part of this project, notably for studying national policies (HPSC-NAT) and for sports federations (HPSF implementation guidance; https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2022-5216-44980-64040 ).

Research laboratory and location

The PhD student will work full-time for a period of three years, starting in November 2026, at the UMR1319 INSPIIRE laboratory (https://inspiire.univ-lorraine.fr/fr/inspiire/lequipe), located at 9 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54220 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, on the Brabois-Santé campus. They will be required to travel within the Grand Est region for data collection, as well as within France or abroad to present their research at multiple forums, congresses and symposia.

The INSPIIRE unit focuses its research on two methodological themes (Development and evaluation of prevention programmes incorporating complex interventions; Metrology of perceived health and other complex health measures), which are broken down into three areas of application (Mental health and well-being; Prevention of antibiotic resistance and promotion of vaccination; Health services and complex measures in chronic diseases).

Responsibilities

1) Collect data from local authorities and sports clubs on their approaches to health promotion

2) Jointly develop quality indicators and assess the factors influencing interactions between local authorities and sports clubs to promote health

3) Contribute to the development of research protocols related to this co-development and to testing the adoption of the quality indicators

4) Write scientific articles relating to the project in French and English

5) Participate in the scientific dissemination of work related to the project

Profile and pre-requisites

Hold a Master’s degree with distinction in the field of public health (health promotion), sports science, or the humanities and social sciences (education, psychology, sociology, anthropology) applied to sport.

Strong skills in qualitative research and an interest in participatory approaches are required. Skills in quantitative research would be an asset, particularly regarding multivariate and multilevel data analysis.

You should be accustomed to interdisciplinary and collaborative work, possess a reflective attitude and a curiosity for research, as well as an interest in sport.

The ability to speak and write scientifically in English, as well as in French, is also required for this position.

Thesis supervision

The thesis will be supervised by Aurélie Van Hoye. Aurélie Van Hoye has been a Professor of Science and Techniques of Physical and Sports Activities (STAPS) since 2015. Her research focuses on the development of sports clubs to promote health. She has published 58 articles in high-impact journals and has secured nearly €2 million in funding, notably through a Marie Curie Horizon 2020 grant. She has supervised five PhD students to the point of their defence and is currently supervising four PhD students, two of whom are due to defend their theses in 2026.

Application process

Applicants must submit (1) a motivation letter, (2) a CV and (3) a letter of recommendation by email to [email protected] by 15 June 2026.