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College makes student sport history
Orkney College UHI has become the sixth college in Scotland to commit to the College Sport Award framework.
It joins Fife, Borders, Edinburgh, City of Glasgow and Barony [SRUC] colleges as a trailblazer for the scheme which plays an important part in Scottish Student Sport’s ambition of building a world-class system for physical activity and student sport.
Orkney College principal, Professor Eddie Abbott-Halpin, was joined by Scottish Student Sport’s chief operating officer, Stew Fowlie, to sign a pledge to recognise the value of sport and physical activity in enriching the student experience.
Speaking at the event, Professor Abbott-Halpin, said: “By signing the College Sport Award pledge, I feel that, between our students and staff here at the college and the Highlands and Islands Student Association, we can really make sport and physical activity a more prominent feature of Orcadian student life.”
He went on to say that: “As educators we realise that wellbeing and mental health play a key part in a student’s life and have a direct impact upon their wider experience at college. By signing this pledge we aim to progress work that will not only increase the physical activity of our students but also help athletes across the county.”
Stew Fowlie commented: “It was a great pleasure to visit the staff at Orkney College UHI and to spend some quality time with Principal Eddie Abbot-Halpin talking about the future of physical activity and sport at the college.
“I got a clear sense of his commitment to active student lifestyles and I am certain that the college, with strong support amongst both students and staff, will do all it can to advance this important agenda over the years to come. Orkney College may be a small institution but it has big ambitions, and I look forward to supporting its future progress through the SSS College Sport Award.’
The College Sport Award, supported by the Scottish Funding Council and endorsed by sportscotland, is a self-improvement framework for colleges in Scotland that would like to develop or advance the sporting offer at their institution.
