Wednesday

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Main keynote theatre 

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Main keynote theatre 

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre. Room - 2nd floor atrium 

1. What to expect from your time as a Student Officer 

Description: Building from the reflections of your 2025-26 Student Directors Karl and Alex, this session will identify key learning and opportunities not to be missed for new Student Officers, as well as a chance for those returning for a second year to reflect on what went well and the challenges they faced. 

Through this session we will launch the new Student Officer mentoring support programme.

Suggested audience: Student Officers

Session facilitator(s): Alex Duggan and Karl Kirkpatrick, Student Director(s), BUCS

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 1

2. Understanding the next generation: Research on lifestyle and physical activity trends of tomorrow’s university students 

Description: Join the BUCS Insight team for an interactive workshop exploring the lifestyle and physical activity trends shaping the next generation of students, based on our comprehensive review of existing literature. Together, we’ll look at what we already know, what these changes could mean for the future of university sport, and where the biggest gaps in our understanding still lie. Expect fresh insight, shared discussion, and the chance to help shape the questions we need to answer to make sure university sport will meet the needs and expectations of future students. 

We have planned this workshop to be useful for all, regardless of whether you attended The Future Student session on the previous day. 

Suggested audience: Open to all

Session facilitator(s): Liz Prinz, Insight Manager, BUCS and Emma Birch, Insight Analyst, BUCS

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 2

3. Landing your impact: evidencing the role of sport and physical activity in key HE metrics

Description: In this session, colleagues from Students’ Union UCL will share learning and insight from their research into the connection between sport and physical activity and key metrics used by universities to measure their success. Not only will this session explore findings to date but also shine a light on the next stage of their research.

Suggested audience: Open to all

Session facilitator(s): Henry Warne, Strategy Planning and Impact Manager, University College London and Katie Sykes, Head of Sport and Physical Activity, University College London Students’ Union 

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 3

4. The future of the BUCS competition structure 

Description: BUCS Director of Sport Sam Bell-Minogue is laser focussed on ensuring that the BUCS Competition programme is vibrant, relevant, accessible and meaningful. With a challenging HE landscape and pressures on the cost of living for students we are reaching a tipping point - and this session will explore the potential and timeline for change.

Suggested audience: Open to all

Session facilitator(s): Sam Bell-Minogue, Director of Sport, BUCS and Neal Kington, Head of Competitions, BUCS

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Keynote theatre 2

5. Enhancing the student experience through digital innovation

Description: Being physically active while in higher education boosts confidence and wellbeing. Join Legend for this session exploring how technology can help you to break down barriers to physical activity for students and keep students engaged with fitness throughout their educational journey with you. Plus, see how technology can help you run your facilities more efficiently.

Suggested audience: Open to all

Session facilitator(s): Kirsty Pearson, Key Account Manager, Legend Xplor Technologies and Laura Trivett, Senior Strategic Accounts & Partnership Manager, Legend Xplor Technologies

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 5

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre. Room - 2nd floor atrium

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Main keynote theatre 

1. Engaging senior leaders as Student Officers 

Description: Student Officers benefit from unique levels of access and therefore potential influence with the senior leaders in their institution, but how can you make the most of this?  

Through this session we will explore how to communicate with university senior management most effectively and ensure that sport and active participation is on their radar as an essential ingredient for student success.  

This session will identify the skills required to interact with senior leaders and engage them in sport and active participation, and build understanding of how to make the case.

Suggested audience: Student Officers

Session facilitator(s): Professor. Amanda Broderick, Chair, BUCS and Jude Edwards, Director of Business Operations and Company Secretary, BUCS 

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 1

2. BUCS Anti-Racist Charter & Toolkit: exploring how you can embed anti-racist practices

Description: Following the launch of the BUCS Anti-Racist Diagnosis Assessment, Charter & Toolkit, join us in exploring how you can start embedding anti-racist practices into your day-to-day work. We will share our new dashboard and demonstrate how you can gain greater understanding of our progress as a sector, as well as hear from representatives of pilot institutions on their experience using the Toolkit, and the learning and impacts so far.

Suggested audience: Open to all

Session facilitator(s): Molly Byrne, Head of Belonging, BUCS and Katy Teasdale and Ryan Carty, Co-Chairs, BUCS Race and Equality, Research and Implementation Group (RERIG)

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 2

3. Demonstrating the impact of Sport and Active Participation on Academic Performance

Description: In this session colleagues from the University of Edinburgh will share learning and insight from their initial 2025 Social and Economic Value of Sport and Active Wellbeing report, and their March 2026 report on academic performance impact. This will be a knowledge sharing session, reviewing evidence regarding the impact of sport and active wellbeing participation on key student outcomes, specifically academic attainment, retention, and employability.

Suggested audience: Open to all

Session facilitator(s): Katherine Duncan, Assistant Director of Sport and Active Wellbeing, University of Edinburgh and Natasha Homer, Data and Digital Insights Officer, University of Edinburgh 

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 3

4. From TEDx to Strategic Influence: Insights to Making the Case for HE Sport, Movement and Active Wellbeing

Description: Participants will explore how storytelling, strategic framing, metaphor, emotional connection and audience engagement can strengthen their case for sport and active wellbeing within universities and wider place-based systems. Through reflective discussions, experiential activities and a TED-style pitch challenge, delegates will creatively explore practical tools and techniques for transforming evidence into compelling narratives, that resonate with systems leaders, governing bodies, strategic partners, connectors and community builders.  

Delegates will leave with practical tools and insights, frameworks and improved confidence to enhance their strategic influence, advocacy and leadership impact, beyond the BUCS Senior Managers Network.

Suggested audience: Senior Managers

Session facilitator: Craig Hobbs, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Sport, University of Greater Manchester

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 4

5. Sports content is king for colleges and universities 

Description: Video is not just for the analysts or heads of performance now, there’s so much more value all your departments can be tapping into now we have the content access. How can you get your biggest asset; student sport, out to the biggest audience? How can you revenue generate, engage grassroots, educate and advocate, raise participation, improve performance, sell sport to the university and beyond...without raising costs? Join us to learn how you can make the best asset that you’ve already got, work for you in new and exciting ways!

Suggested audience: Open to all

Session facilitator: Fiona Waddell, Account Executive, Hudl

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Breakout room 5

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre. Room - 2nd floor atrium 

Location: Teaching and Learning Centre - Main keynote theatre 

Join us for an informal session dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. This will be a fun opportunity to share experiences, discuss workplace inclusion, and swap examples of good practice. We will discuss whether there is an appetite to set up a more formally structured network to continue the conversation. We’ll finish up with more opportunities to chat with your colleagues in the sector!

Location: John Snow College, Igloo Bar (same room as accommodation check in)