Studying and slam dunks: How Diego and Jakub are getting started

10.11.2025
General

The two scholarship holders Jakub Hussain and Diego Martínez López play for the Pirlo Kufstein Towers – pictured here together with FH Managing Director Prof. (FH) Dr. Thomas Madritsch (f.l.t.r.).

When studies and sport go hand in hand: In cooperation with the Pirlo Kufstein Towers, the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol supports Jakub Hussain and Diego Martínez López, two basketball players who score points both on the court and in the lecture hall.

When the ball whizzes through the net in Kufstein, there is often more to it than just sporting ambition: scholarship holders Jakub Hussain and Diego Martínez López show how university studies and sport can be successfully combined. In cooperation with the Pirlo Kufstein Towers, the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol offers the perfect stage for athletes who want to excel both in the game and in their studies.

COMPETITIVE SPORT MEETS UNIVERSITY LIFE

The basketball scholarship offers students from all degree programs the opportunity to be active at a high athletic level while studying. Young athletes are supported with reimbursement of semester fees and living expenses in the players' shared apartment, sports insurance including medical care, gym access, and a meal allowance.

In return, scholarship recipients commit to participating in regular training sessions and competing for Pirlo Towers in the Austrian Basketball League. The programme thus enables a structured combination of academic studies and competitive sports – a concept that is unique in Austria.

TWO WAYS, ONE GOAL

Jakub Hussain, 23, is in his first semester of the Master's programme in Sports, Culture & Event Management. This is his third season with the Pirlo Towers and also his third year in the scholarship programme. ‘Kufstein is the ideal place for me to combine my studies and basketball. Here, I can pursue my dream degree and follow my passion at the same time,’ he says. He particularly appreciates the close-knit community and the opportunity to develop both athletically and academically.

KUFSTEIN IS THE IDEAL PLACE FOR ME TO COMBINE MY STUDIES AND BASKETBALL. HERE, I CAN PURSUIT MY DREAM DEGREE WHILE ALSO FOLLOWING MY PASSION.

Jakub Hussain

Scholarship holder

New to the team is Diego Martínez López, a 20-year-old Erasmus student from Almería in southern Spain. He is currently playing his first season for Pirlo Towers. Previously, he played for Baloncesto Murgi and CD Roquetas, with whom he enjoyed considerable success at regional level. ‘A friend who spent his Erasmus year in Kufstein told me about the university and the basketball team. After doing some research, it was clear to me that this was a great opportunity to develop as a player without neglecting my studies,’ says the talented young Spaniard.

This is a great opportunity to develop as a player without neglecting my studies.

Diego Martínez López

Scholarship holder

Both athletes embody what the programme is all about: commitment, discipline and the ability to combine high-level studies and sport.

MORE THAN BASKETBALL: SCHOLARSHIPS FOR VARIOUS SPORTS

In addition to basketball, the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol also supports athletes from other disciplines as part of its sports scholarship programme. One example is Aleksi Airaksinen, who was the first international ice hockey player to be accepted for the scholarship. The winger from the Jokerit Helsinki talent factory plays for HC Kufstein Dragons and studies drone engineering.

DUAL CAREERS WITH A FUTURE

FH Managing Director Prof. (FH) Dr Thomas Madritsch emphasises the importance of the programme: ‘Our sports scholarships show how well studying and competitive sports can be combined when the environment is right. We offer young people the opportunity to develop their athletic skills while receiving a solid academic education – that is an investment in the future.’

APPLICATION FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP

Applications for a place at the university of applied sciences and for the scholarship are made separately. Anyone interested in the basketball scholarship should submit an application to the club, including a video highlighting their sporting achievements. Selection will be made by Pirlo Kufstein Towers. Interested parties can secure a place at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol independently of this – online applications for all bachelor's and master's programmes are already open.