Rolstadaas covered for general secretary Guro Røen while she was on parental leave and has been part of sports organisations at various levels since 2007.

He has management experience from his time at the Norwegian Ski Association and has also played a part in popularising the aktivCampus initiative designed to create "an active, health-promoting and meaningful student life".

"Atle has done a brilliant job for the association through his contribution to aktivCampus, but he has also contributed a lot of good experience from previous positions in the Ski Association," Norwegian Association of University Sports vice-president Kjell-Erik Kvamsdal said.

"Throughout the hiring process, Atle has identified himself as a visionary and knowledgeable leader, and I look forward to seeing what we will achieve together.

"The association's board (sic) is convinced that Atle is the person to take the association forward in the vision 'We create the sport of the future'."

Rolstadaas has also served as a subject manager, lecturer and examiner at Norwegian University of Science and Technology recently.

He is set to start in the new role from July 1.

"I thank the board for their trust and am very motivated to take on new tasks as general secretary, Rolstadaas said.

"Student sport has grown enormously in recent years, and I look forward to building on the solid foundation on which we stand today, while at the same time exploring the development opportunities that lie ahead.

"I think interaction, synergies and visibility will be important in the times we are entering, and I look forward to working with the rest of the administration, the board and all the volunteers in the student sports teams to create the sport of the future."