A delegation of Japanese university officials visited Bournemouth University to explore BU’s engagement with Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The visitors were researching the roles and opportunities for universities before, during, and after international sporting events as they look ahead to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Organised by the British Council, Bournemouth University was chosen as a venue to learn from following several touch points BU has had with both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.
Dr Debbie Sadd, Head of Education within the Department of Events and Leisure at Bournemouth University took a lead in facilitating the day. She said, “One of the key things the delegation came to learn about was BU’s volunteering involvement in the Olympics and how the University managed to maximise this involvement through embedding it in teaching and gaining maximum external exposure for our involvement.”
The other UK universities chosen to take part in the British Council visit were UEL, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Manchester Metropolitan University and Sheffield Hallam University.
Dr Sadd, herself a Games Maker during London 2012 and a torchbearer, continued, “A call went out in 2015 for British universities to submit case studies of their involvement in London 2012. I wrote one for BU, which was subsequently shortlisted as an exemplar. I was then afforded the opportunity to head to Tokyo in December 2015 to present our story.
“This visit in itself is one of the legacies from our involvement in London 2012 and continuing in to Rio 2016. These involvements are key to the subjects we teach and research and enable us to exhibit true Fusion - teaching, research and professional practice – in action.”
To read more about Bournemouth University’s involvement in the Olympic Games, visit the BU website.
