The Universiade is an international sporting event sponsored by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), which has chosen Maribor to host the 2013 Winter Universiade.

Pohorje is hands-down the largest sports and recreation center in Slovenia. Until recently it has been known mostly for winter recreation, but it is also gaining popularity for year-round activities because it offers so much: mountain landscapes, virgin forest, wide expanses of meadows and pastures, pure waterways with falls, peat bogs and ponds, and unique silicate mountains.

Slovenia has many years of experience in planning and hosting winter sporting events.

Maribor offers modern infrastructure for all winter sports.

Slovenia has a long tradition of participation in winter sports and is one of the most successful countries in Alpine skiing and Nordic sports.

Slovenia is a popular vacation destination.

Its central European location enables easy access.

Slovenia is a safe country with a high standard of living and low crime rate.

These allow easy access to the sporting events not only for competitors but also spectators.

The Universiade’s main goal is to develop academic culture. Within the international academic context, Maribor and its surroundings offer excellent conditions for attaining this goal.

The Slovenian University Sports Association (SUSA) is one of the most active university sports associations in Europe, both in holding events and in sporting successes. More