Higher education

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 response to Stakeholder Survey suggestions from higher education

In April, Sport England sent out its annual Stakeholder Survey to key partners including National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs), County Sports Partnerships (CSPs), Local Authorities and universities.

The Sport England HE/FE team would like to thank those universities who took the time to complete the survey. Your feedback is invaluable in helping to develop and improve Sport England’s support and services.

The key part of the survey from the team’s perspective was around how the HE sector felt Sport England could improve the service they provide to universities. There were numerous suggestions proposed by the 35 university respondents and these have now been summarised. In response to these suggestions, the HE/FE team has worked with the Higher Education Stakeholder Group and BUCS to identify whether these suggestions can and should be prioritised for action, and if so how.

Download the suggestions and responses

On the Right Track – new resources for student sports volunteering in higher education

Some new resources have been developed by runningsports in partnership with Sport England’s Higher and Further Education Team and British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS).  If your university does not have a sports volunteering programme 'On the Right Track - A guide to supporting student sports volunteering in higher education' offers some basic advice to assist you to set one up, or if your university already has a volunteering programme, then it may help you review what you currently offer.  It may also provide you with ideas about how you could improve the opportunities that currently exist or how to enhance elements of the programme.

View or download 'On the Right Track - A guide to supporting student sports volunteering in higher education' here.

'On the Right Track - Student Sports Volunteering' is aimed specifically at students and is intended to be used to help guide and encourage them to start volunteering in sport, and/or to help them progress on their volunteering pathway.  It includes some useful tools such as a Volunteer Checklist and a pull-out poster which could be used to help students to think about different ways of getting involved and making the most of their sports volunteering experience. 

View or download 'On the Right Track - Student Sports Volunteering' here and view the poster here.

Sport England and Higher Education Sport - two years 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 progress report

Update on Places, People, Play – the London 2012 Mass Participation Legacy

‘Places People Play’ is a £135 million initiative which has been made possible by the Government’s National Lottery reforms and will bring additional funding into grassroots sport. It will be delivered by Sport England, in partnership with the British Olympic Association, the British Paralympic Association and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will bring the inspiration and magic of a home Olympics and Paralympics into the heart of local communities, encouraging more people to get involved in sport.

Sport England HE/FE team will communicate with the HE sector as and when more information becomes available on each of the programmes within the legacy plan.

Download further information on Places People Play

Work with NGBs

We have been working with British Universities & Colleges Sport ( BUCS ) and individual governing bodies of sport to understand and facilitate delivery of the aspirations and targets that they have for working with the Higher Education Sector as part of their 2009-13 Whole Sport Plans.  The sports we are working with are: