Following registration and lunch, delegates were welcomed to Conference before Olympic rower, world champion and author Cath Bishop delivered the opening keynote. Cath shared insights on leadership, performance and creating environments where individuals and teams could thrive.
The afternoon programme then split into four themed breakout sessions for the delegates to enjoy.
The first session explored how universities could prepare for the next generation of students. Led by Amanda Vernalls from the Youth Sport Trust and founder of Thread & Fable Rebecca Roberts, the discussion examined changing student expectations, participation trends and how institutions could adapt their sport and physical activity strategies over the next decade.
Student Officers attended a session that introduced the role of BUCS, its governance, staff structure and the wider higher education sport landscape. The session gave new officers a clearer understanding of how they could contribute to improving the student sporting experience.
Meanwhile, a review of the 2025-26 events programme took place covering the findings from the Event Matrix Review and the Making Changes framework, highlighting how sports had been evaluated and outlining planned developments for the 2026-27 season.
Another breakout session examined the success of Sheffield Varsity, one of the UK's largest student sporting events. Speakers from Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield and Shipway Consulting discussed how strategic collaboration, strong partnerships and clear governance has helped strengthen one of higher education sport's flagship competitions.
Following an afternoon networking break, delegates came together for the launch of the BUCS Anti-Racist Charter and Toolkit.
The session introduced the new charter, which has been designed to encourage higher education institutions to make meaningful commitments to tackling racism across university sport. Delegates heard student perspectives on experiences within higher education sport, received guidance on implementing the charter at institutional level and took part in a panel discussion showcasing initiatives from across the sector.
The first day concluded with a social sport and wellness evening, giving delegates further opportunities to network and build connections across the membership.
