Major sporting figures are speaking at this year’s British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Conference at the University of Leeds.
Rugby World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward, equestrian and eight-time paralympic champion Sophie Christiansen and Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan headline the largest higher education sporting conference of 2023.
More than 140 institutions will be taking part in the conference, which runs from 11-14 July. It is aimed at staff who plan and deliver activities for students, ranging from directors of sport and performance managers to administrators and elected student officers. It is led by the University’s Sport and Physical Activity and Conferencing teams alongside Leeds University Union, who came together to win the bid to host the event.
The focus of the conference is on equity, diversity and inclusion and the importance of collaboration to achieve goals. Jamie Jones-Buchanan is Head of Culture, Diversity and Inclusion at Leeds Rhinos.
Other guest speakers include FA Women’s Technical Director Kay Cossington and Arun Kang, Chief Executive of Sporting Equals. The official opening of the conference is led by Professor Jeff Grabill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Education at the University of Leeds.
The conference is a special event for everyone involved and a great way to share information and learn, especially around the important issues of equity, diversity and inclusion.
The conference includes break-out sessions for sharing good practice and an inclusive evening activity at Sports Park Weetwood which provides facilities for outdoor sport such as cricket, rugby, hockey and football. Owned by the University of Leeds, it is used by local, regional and national clubs as well as by students and members of the public.
Suzanne Glavin, Head of Sport at the University of Leeds, said: “The conference is a truly collaborative effort by University of Leeds teams. We are pleased to welcome colleagues and friends from university sport and physical activity teams across the UK, alongside sponsors and national governing bodies of sport. Our aim is to encourage conversations that help all sports providers to achieve their goals.”
Ella Williams, Student Activities Representative at Leeds University Union, said: “The conference is a special event for everyone involved and a great way to share information and learn, especially around the important issues of equity, diversity and inclusion.
“I encourage everyone who attends University to seek out the fantastic clubs and societies that bring people together.”
Further information
Main image: University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University women's rugby union teams compete in a varsity match at Headingley Stadium. Copyright: University of Leeds.
Find out more about Leeds University Union’s clubs and societies.
For further details, email Jane Lewis, Corporate Communications Officer at the University of Leeds via jane.lewis3@leeds.ac.uk.