All eyes on the goal for student sport

A £465,000 Scottish Government investment for Scottish Student Sport (SSS), through the Scottish Funding Council, will ensure that students in both colleges and universities can access the best sports facilities available to them.

The initiative also aims to harness sport as a way of getting students more involved with their college or university, reducing the chances of them dropping out and enhancing their overall student experience.

Announcing the funding at Edinburgh College, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, said: “Sport and physical activity has a hugely positive impact on a person’s health and wellbeing and, as a Government, we are committed to helping people establish lifelong habits of sports participation and fitness. I welcome the Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Student Sport’s commitment to ensuring that students in both colleges and universities will be able to access the best facilities available to them in Scotland.”

SSS was established in 2011 and works with colleges and universities to promote physical activity and provide sports opportunities. There are currently over 600 student sports clubs in Scotland, covering more than 70 sports. This new funding will be used to further extend and develop sport at every campus in the country as part of an ambitious four year plan.

Stew Fowlie, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Student Sport, said: “We are delighted to receive such strong support from SFC – helping us to build a world class system for physical activity and sport – much to the benefit of Scotland’s students.”

John Kemp, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “We have been involved with Scottish Student Sport since it was set up seven years ago. It’s an energetic and forward-looking organisation and is making a real difference. I look forward to seeing the impact of the ambitious plans we all have for student sport over the next four years.”