British Universities & Colleges Sport, more fondly referred to as BUCS, celebrate a milestone this year as they enter their centenary year in the higher education sporting sector. As the national governing body for higher education (HE) sport in the UK, BUCS have an ambitious vision, to create the best university sport experience in the world, and they’re well on their way to achieving this mission.
Delivering more than 50 sports to students in higher and further education across the country, BUCS enables students to compete in everything from archery to ultimate frisbee, and participants come from all over, with 160 sector-leading institutions taking part throughout the year.
Inspiring educators to think differently
As thought leaders in their sector, their annual conference held in July each year, celebrates HE sport and physical activity, while at the same time outlining the importance, impact and contribution that sport plays within the university environment and wider sporting landscape.
The three-day conference brings together 450 delegates who attend thought-provoking seminars, collaborative workshops and inspiring keynotes, covering topics from Enhancing the Performance Sport Environment, right through to Developing Positive Mental Health on Campus.
Ben Sandham, Technogym UK Area Sales Manager said, “The annual BUCS Conference is a key date in the diary for Technogym as it provides us with a fantastic opportunity to speak directly with universities and support them in their goals to increase activity in students, staff and community members with our Technogym Total Wellness Solution”.
“Technogym are proud to be an official, long-term partner of BUCS as our core values align seamlessly, and together we share the same mission to support, develop and celebrate the great work of facilities in the higher education sector”, continues Ben.
Evolving the student sport experience
Technogym supported this years’ conference with an immersive stand that brought the full Skill Line together, showcasing industry innovations and leading products designed with performance athletes in mind. Delegates were encouraged to step onto the stand to compete against their colleagues in live Skillbike Classes and take part in Wellness Assessments, where they could discover what their body is made of.
Technogym were also delighted to lead a workshop discussing Club 4.0: The Future of Fitness. The workshop explored the changing landscape of the fitness industry and how universities need to create fitness experiences that both entice and retain student members.
Vince Mayne, BUCS Chief Executive Officer commented, “As a key partner of BUCS, it was fantastic to once again have the Technogym team at BUCS Conference. Technogym added valuable insight and expertise to all of the delegates present. The Technogym workshop, exploring the future trends of the fitness industry, was particularly insightful, showcasing innovative new opportunities to engage students in sport, physical activity and wellness, and providing delegates with authentic examples of how to improve physical activity on campus. It was also great to see so many delegates engage with their active sessions, making sure delegates started the Conference off the right way!”
Recognising outstanding athletic achievement
To celebrate entering their centenary year, BUCS have created a Hall of Fame, to recognise and honour the outstanding athletic achievement of university alumni. The first athlete to be inducted into the Hall of Fame was Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, who developed her athletics career alongside studying psychology at the University of Sheffield from 2004-2007. Ennis-Hill went on to compete at multiple major Games, the most memorable of which, was her stunning heptathlon gold on ‘Super Saturday’ at the London 2012 Olympics.
“University sport is fantastic for so many people on so many levels, but it gave me so much and I’m very proud to be inducted into the BUCS Hall of Fame” commented Ennis-Hill.
To discover more about market-leading products and solutions from Technogym, please visit www.technogym.com/gb/fitness-solutions-school-university/
