Chair’s update – April

I hope the start to 2019 has been enjoyable for everyone – I can’t believe that we are in April already – that went fast!

I would first like to start my blog by thanking our new CEO Mark Sinderberry for his enthusiasm and dedication in getting around to as many of our members as possible in such a short period of time. I have enjoyed hearing from Mark about his meetings, and how impressed we all are by the many successes, while being open and insightful of our challenges within our evolving sector of university sport.

One of these challenges was to conduct a comprehensive review of what support is provided to our members, the value of UniSport membership and the perceived gaps between what is provided and what members require. As a result of this review, UniSport has developed an updated member service strategy that will be implemented by an expanded Member Service staffing team in conjunction with other UniSport staff.

I am very much looking forward to our Annual General Meeting and National Conference in May in Melbourne. The conference aims to bring us together to network, learn, exchange ideas and discuss all the issues and opportunities that we may face within the university sport sector. It will give us the opportunity to hear from university sport leaders, students, keynote speakers, sport administrators and managers as well as representatives from other international university sport federations, national sporting organisations and key university stakeholders. I know our student leaders attending from UNE and very excited to be attending the Conference and are very much looking forward to the ‘student stream’.

It was wonderful to hear the announcement of the success of our application to Sport Australia for a grant Healthy Campus program. This grant will enable us to work with 15 member universities to pilot a program to get more students engaging with sport on and off campus. Really looking forward to seeing this program grow to become a core part of UniSport’s offering to our members.

Thank you, see you at the conference.

Dave