12 June 2021: A new partnership between the University of Canberra and Swansea University in Wales, the United Kingdom, will create a myriad opportunities for teaching, research and student exchange between the two institutions.
The partnership was launched at an online event attended by the Vice-Chancellors of both universities, along with 50 academics and researchers.
“Swansea and UC have shared values and aspirations, with educational and research excellence at the heart of what we do,” said Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra.
“This partnership will enable new and greater collaboration between us, with a focus on research, exchange and the potential of joint accreditations.
“The University of Canberra will soon release a whole-of-institution sport strategy, and international partnerships such as the one with Swansea will see UC positioned as a global leader in sport.”
Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University Professor Paul Boyle said that given the centrality of sport to both universities’ strategic ambitions, it was entirely fitting that their first formal collaboration was within the field of Sports and Exercise Science.
“At Swansea University, we understand the importance of developing robust, dynamic and mutually beneficial international partnerships across the world,” he said. “The University of Canberra’s global outlook and international reach align naturally with our own values, and we are therefore very pleased to be exploring exciting opportunities for collaboration across our institutions.
The University of Canberra and Swansea University are both centres of excellence in sports science.
The University of Canberra has research expertise in areas such as high-performance sport, sports integrity, sport and exercise medicine and environmental physiology, and its experts work closely with top-level Australian sports professionals, organisations and peak bodies, including Brumbies Rugby, UC Capitals, Canberra United Football Club (women’s football), Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Diving Australia, Triathlon Australia, Swimming Australia and Cricket Australia.
Swansea University’s Sport and Exercise Sciences department is in the United Kingdom’s top 20, and fifth in the UK for research impact. Research areas include elite and professional sport, exercise, health and medicine, and sports ethics, integrity and governance.
The Swansea team works alongside Sport Wales, Welsh Rugby Union, Ospreys, RFU, British Cycling, English Institute of Sport, Public Health Wales and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Researchers from the Sport and Exercise Sciences departments have already been working together on topics such as rugby science. The partnership will build on that foundation, to develop a range of new collaborations that support each university’s strategic research and teaching objectives.
Planned future activities include a research seminar series, seedcorn funding to develop research projects, reciprocal student exchange and joint teaching activities.
This article was adapted from New partnership launched with University of Canberra in Sport and Exercise Sciences, by Kevin Sullivan, Swansea University. Photos: Swansea University.
