BUCS and Sport England launch student partnership

British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and Sport England have launched a new strategy to develop partnerships between Higher Education and community sport.  The launch was held at Sport England Head Quarters with Phil Simmons, ARA London Coaching Development Officer, as guest speaker alongside Ed Smith, Chairman of BUCS, and Jennie Price, the Chief Executive of Sport England.

Phil described how important his life was at University and how he was helped as an Olympic level athlete and coach by his days at Kingston University.  

College and University sport plays an important part of the ARA Whole Sport Plan 2009-13 and BUCS continues to be a key partner to rowing.  The ARA and the BUCS Rowing Sports Management Group have developed a joint action plan to help grow and sustain more students within rowing.

To read the full article and download a copy of the new Sport England / BUCS partnership plan click here.

Jennie Price, Sport England’s Chief Executive, said: "This is the start of a genuine partnership between Sport England and higher education that will not only drive participation, but also help students develop skills that will enhance their educational attainment and employment prospects.

"We are looking forward to working with higher education partners to deliver sporting opportunities to students, a group with the potential to make a major contribution to our target of getting one million people playing more sport."

Ed Smith, Chair of BUCS , said: “Getting more people to be active and play sport should be an integral part of all higher education institutions’ offer to students and university staff. This plan will support best practice from the sector to widen participation and demonstrate the importance of higher education sport to the wider sporting landscape.”