Higher education

Student ready to run on an athletics track

As part of our target to get one million people doing more sport, Sport England believes that 300,000 of the participants could come from across the further and higher education sectors.

Since the launch of our 2008-11 Strategy, we have worked with British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) and the wider sector to develop a closer relationship. We are building a new and meaningful partnership with higher education, embedding it as a key partner in the development of a world leading community sport system.

We believe that in working with this independent and diverse sector, we will increase our collective input by delivering sporting outcomes and wider benefits across higher education. This is about the development of shared goals rather than the imposition of an agenda.

Sport England and Higher Education Sport – one year on

A progress report is now available to demonstrate the progress Sport England has made towards delivering the Higher Education and Community Sport Partnership Plan.

Download the Partnership Progress Plan Progress Report

We have been working with British Universities and Colleges Sport ( BUCS ) and individual governing bodies to understand and facilitate delivery of the aspirations and targets that some individual NGBs have for working with the Higher Education Sector as part of their 2009-13 Whole Sport Plans.

A summary of progress has been developed to outline the steps that have been taken to date. .

Download NGB progress report (UPDATED)

You can now download a breakdown of Sport England's Active People data for 18-21 year olds

Download Active People Survey data for 18 to 21 year olds

Partnership event

On the 11 March 2010, Sport England held an event at the BUCS Championships in Sheffield, which provided an opportunity to update the sector and community sport partners on the progress made towards building a strong partnership with higher education.

Over 70 colleagues from HEIs, national governing bodies of sport and national community sport partners attended the day which included sessions on;

  • Partnership progress – one year on
  • Working with national governing bodies of sport
  • Introducing the new Sport Development Team 
  • Measuring student participation
  • Active Universities Themed Funding Round

Presentations from the sessions can be found below

Information on Active Universities can be found here

Higher Education and Community Sport Audit

One of the first actions in the Higher Education and Community Sport Partnership Plan published in July 2009, was an audit of sport in higher education. The purpose was to gain an up to date picture of higher education sport and its links with community sport.

The audit was conducted between July and September 2009 and a report of the findings is now available. The audit demonstrates the significant contribution higher education sport makes to its students, workforce and the wider community.

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