New national body to represent higher education sport

Issued on behalf of Scottish Universities Sport (SUS)

Wednesday 12 October 2005

sportscotland welcomes the establishment of Scottish Universities Sport (SUS) as the new body to represent sport and physical activity in higher education in Scotland.

Scottish Universities Sport plans to be an active, competitive and innovative organisation with a focus on the development of the scope and quality of sporting opportunities across the higher education sector.

With strong roots to its forerunners, the Scottish Universities Sports Federation (the previous student body for competitive sport) and the Scottish Universities Physical Education Association (the former professional staff body within higher education), SUS will provide a national competitive structure for student sport, a lead role within physical activity and focus on developing higher education’s network of staff, volunteers, coaches, facilities and the local community around universities. SUS will seek to establish itself as a national body and to develop partnerships with the national governing bodies of sport, local authorities and other agencies with a shared agenda.

Jim Aitken, Chair of SUS, said: “This is an enormously exciting period for sport in higher education. For the first time, the sector’s major stakeholders are now united within one body – all with the common aims of adding quality to existing programmes and, importantly, creating new opportunities and developments within the sector. There is an atmosphere of great optimism within SUS and the closer collaboration between students, staff and affiliated partners is already beginning to bear fruit.”

With over 60% of the Scottish population between 17–24 years of age in tertiary education in Scotland, this sector is very significant for sportscotland’s visions of widening opportunities, developing potential and achieving excellence.

There are 475 sports clubs in Scottish Universities, encompassing over 17,000 members across 70 different sports. With some excellent facilities, sizable staffing and a national network, the sector sees over 65,000 user visits each week, 52,000 gym members, with over 20% non students, and 16,000 weekly attendants at health and fitness classes. Sports scholarships at universities are ever increasing (206 currently within 13 universities) and the sector is becoming a key partner with local, regional and national agencies in delivery of sport and activity.

Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland, said: “sportscotland welcomes the establishment of SUS as the new national body to lead sport in the higher education sector. We are pleased to recognise and support the creation of a new body to represent the many thousands of people who participate in sport and physical activity through Scotland’s 20 universities and their communities. It will play a crucial role towards delivering Sport 21, Scotland’s national strategy for sport. We look forward to working closely with SUS in pursuing our common agenda and bringing higher education sporting pathways more within the national direction and in partnerships with other agencies.”