BUCS recognises the seriousness of dangerous behaviours including sexual harassment, initiations, hazing and bullying, and takes responsibility as a member organisation for ensuring member vigilance, supporting member action, and for engaging appropriate stakeholders in driving long-term and sustainable culture change.
Whilst higher education sport is not the only part of the sporting ecosystem or the higher education environment that sees such behaviours, BUCS recognises that such issues can be amplified in higher education sport and that this has a negative impact on students.
The issue is persistent, serious and evolving. Whilst the traditional concern about ‘initiations’ of new students remain, problem behaviours with the same characteristics as an initiation take place throughout the academic year.
Student safety is paramount and we know that these behaviours put students off participation in sport and active participation damaging their physical, mental and social health, as well as in many cases risking their safety.
Deeply engrained cultural practices cannot be solved by a single organisation publishing an action plan, only by working sensitively and consistently with partners, members and students can we ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all students to feel they can belong in higher education sport and active participation.
It is right that students will want to create ways to integrate new students into their club, to build bonds and connections. We know that when done well, these bonds make higher education sport and active participation a hugely positive force in higher education supporting great student outcomes. But it is not right that such activities endanger students, create fear and dread, or drive students away from taking part in the activities that they love.
Taking action
Whilst the landmark Universities UK 'Initiations at UK Universities' report was a watershed moment leading to institutions taking significant steps in recent years, the issue remains endemic in the sub-culture of higher education sport and BUCS along with its members is keen to take further action to support positive, safe, healthy and happy student sport experiences.
Shaped by members of the BUCS Senior Managers and Student Officers networks and aligned with BUCS’s transformative work in student safeguarding in higher education sport in recent seasons, BUCS convened a ‘Club Culture Summit’ in 2026 to bring together key voices to galvanise further action. The event was over-subscribed, and those members and stakeholders present heard student testimony regarding the impact of initiations, and from higher education leaders on the impact of the most serious outcomes from an initiation on an institution.
The summit inspired new research, a pledge of support from those delegates present, and the creation of a new BUCS ‘Club Culture Framework.’
What are Universities/Colleges and Students Unions doing to tackle the issue?
In spring 2026 BUCS conducted research into the issue, yielding the following results (67 institutions responded to the survey).
Training
91% said their institution offers training to club committee members, and 83% said it’s compulsory
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61% include consent training
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56% include Active Bystander training
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47% include alcohol and drug awareness training
Sanctions
51% stated that they had had to deal with a reported issue in the 2025-26 academic year
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69% said they implemented sporting sanctions in 2025-26
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22% said they implemented academic sanctions in 2025-26
Partnering to find solutions
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42% said they work with their local council, licensees and other partners regarding to address drinking behaviours on and off campus
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15% said they work with alumni who are involved with student groups/societies to promote positive student behaviours
The June 2026 Club Culture Summit resulted in the creation of the BUCS Club Culture Framework through which BUCS seeks to drive culture change.
BUCS will publish an annual ‘Club Culture’ report to raise the profile and encourage openness and transparency within the Higher Education sport community. This will be achieved through:
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Creation of a mechanism through which all institutions report incidents to BUCS
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Enhancement of the anonymous whistleblowing tool to encourage students to speak out
BUCS will maximise its convening power to promote positive ‘club culture’ working with its members:
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Providing clear guidance/expectation on its members regarding education and sanction
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Maximising its platform (e.g. BUCS conference) to ensure that this remains a live matter
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Collaborating with Student Minds to integrate ‘Club Culture’ in the University Mental Health Charter
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Collaborate with the Ann Craft Trust (ACT) Higher Education safeguarding working group to ensure that sport remains a live issue
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Sign-posting members to stakeholder support
BUCS will collaborate in tackling negative ‘club culture’ by:
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Working upstream with leaders in school sport
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Maximising regulatory and disciplinary opportunities and connections with NGBs
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Working with our membership to explore the sanctioning potential of BUCS with individual students
