48 | EVENT REVIEW: BUCS | CAMPUS SERVICES Read more HE sports news click here
“Each year there is a natural injection of new energy as the introduction of recently elected student representatives to higher education sport occurs”
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www.universitybusiness.co.uk | T: @UB_UK
CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT BUCS CONFERENCE 2014
In years gone by, the annual BUCS Conference would have been viewed in two very diff erent ways; as an event which reviewed the success of university sport from the previous 12 months or as one which looked forward to the next, kick-starting the development of the sector which is an ever-improving force.
This time, BUCS Conference was diff erent. The ambiguity was much less apparent with a clear emphasis on the lat er, an air of ‘change’ from start to fi nish. Each year there is a natural injection
of new energy as the introduction of recently elected student representatives to higher education sport occurs. But the student sabbaticals weren’t alone in energising the BUCS atmosphere as new initiatives were put in place prior to conference in order to revitalise the programme including a pre-conference crash course for newbies and a ‘member’s forum’, which encouraged delegates to raise burning issues outside of the traditional channels. At BUCS Conference 2014 the
energy came from all angles with an opening keynote from Olympic Skeleton Champion, Lizzy Yarnold MBE, which outlined her strategy for world domination: ‘set ing mini intentions each day’ in order to reach her goals. Yarnold’s address set the bar high for the
rest of conference to follow and of course, they did not disappoint, with further speakers on day one delivering content which challenged the status quo and asked serious questions of how delegates can impact on higher education sport in this country. Day two saw the launch of the new
BUCS charity partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care, whereby the gauntlet was set for students up and down the country to come together in order to support the amazing work the charity does each day, helping cancer patients and their families overcome the disease. The challenge: to raise enough money to fund a rugby team of nurses prior to the Rugby World Cup 2015. Deidre Anderson, Deputy Vice-
Chancellor Macquarie University and Australian University Sport President, then presented on the changes in university sport in Australia and delivered an overview of an invaluable piece of research which is set to investigate links between participation in sport at university and the impact on retention and graduation rates. The research is yet to be completed, but is sure to be shared with colleagues in Great Britain once the project comes to a conclusion. Stuart Robertson, the man credited
with creating Twenty20 cricket, provided food for thought with fi rst-hand insight into what it takes to reinvent a classic
sport for a 21st-century audience. He spoke of the need to repackage a sport based on results of quantitative research which would bring supporters and public interest back to the English game. And on day three, the fourth and fi nal
keynote was delivered by a woman voted the most infl uential in British sport by the Guardian, Debbie Jevans CBE, and Chief Executive of the Rugby World Cup 2015. Jevans took to the stage to deliver an exceptional presentation of what’s to come from the third biggest sporting event in the world, before being joined on stage by Alison Odell – FISU Executive Board, Peter Keen – Director of Sport, Loughborough University, John Inverdale – Broadcaster and Presenter and Bella Colafrancesco, VP Student Activities, University of Hertfordshire, to take part in a panel discussion which focused on the theme of conference: University Sport and the World Stage. Finally, the conference was brought to
an end by the newly appointed chairman of BUCS, Professor Sir Ian Diamond – Vice-Chancellor, University of Aberdeen, who replaces Ed Smith CBE, after six hugely successful years as the fi rst BUCS Chairman, following the merger between UCS and BUSA. Sir Ian’s address was a fi t ing end to
BUCS Conference 2014 which signals the start of a new era under the watchful eye of a knight of the realm. UB
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