The 2025 Scottish Student Sport Conference, powered by Technogym, will take place on 11th-12th June at the University of Aberdeen.

Always a highlight of the SSS calendar, the conference brings together our community to network, share best practice, and celebrate the success of student sport.

Following last year’s success, we’ll once again be opening up the first day of Conference to SGBs as we frame the vital role student sport plays across the Scottish sporting landscape.

The glad rags will be donned on Wednesday evening for our ever-popular SSS Awards Night. More information about categories and nominations will be released to institutions soon.

Thursday’s agenda will feature voices from across the SSS network, including institution-led best practice, and an industry-leading insight from our Headline Partners Technogym.

Secure your place here!

Pricing

SSS Members can take advantage of a reduced rate of £75 for a single day ticket, £75 for our awards evening, or for the biggest saving, our multi-day packages: two days for £145 or two days plus awards for £215.

Non-Members/SGBs can attend a single day for £85, with awards available for an additional £90. Multi-day options allow for a two day conference package of £165, or add the awards evening for a total cost of £250.

External Attendees can fill out the Typeform above, or contact SSS Business Manager Julia Stenhouse.

Accommodation

This year, accommodation will be available through our hosts the University of Aberdeen for a reduced event rate of £50 per person (bed & breakfast). You can book any rooms through the Conference sign-up form or by contacting Julia Stenhouse.

Rooms are individual occupancy in shared flats, consisting of communal kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Don’t fancy an early start on the Wednesday morning? You’re in luck because additional rooms are available the night before Conference! Just book alongside your Conference ticket.

Agenda

Registration will be open for delegates 09:30-10:15 each day.

We’re delighted to reveal the first batch of speakers and sessions coming to you at Conference 2025.

More sessions are due to be added in May and we’ll announce them when ready!

In addition, Day 2 will feature a dedicated networking session for various groups to come together.

Any questions regarding Conference can be directed to People & Learning Coordinator Jo Foster.

Awards

The prestigious Scottish Student Sport Awards Dinner will take place on the evening of Wednesday 11th June where we’ll celebrate the students, staff, and volunteers that have made the season so successful.

Tickets include a welcome drink, wine, and a three course dinner and can be purchased either separately, or in our discounted Conference package through the same Typeform.

Nominations are now open – find out more here.

The Student Active Wellbeing Report, in collaboration with BUCS and Sport England, is launched today with a clear message that there are huge benefits to being active across wellbeing, loneliness, sense of belonging, and what the future holds whilst studying.

Produced for the first time in five years, the report is based on a UK wide survey of students, with well over 1,000 Scottish respondents – 15% of the total group.

Download the report here

Commenting on the report, SSS Chief Operating Officer Stew Fowlie said:

“It’s clear that by investing in active campuses and organised activity, institutions can help their students to better physically, mentally, socially and academically – creating a sense of belonging that can otherwise be hard to find”.

The report paints a positive picture for the student sporting landscape in Scotland. 76% of Scottish respondents reported being part of a student sports club – the highest in the UK. This is further borne out by our annual club membership audit which continues to see strong growth in our members’ clubs.

Students engaging in both sports clubs and gym facilities reported better scores across a range of wellbeing metrics. Active students reported lower levels of an anxiety and were least likely to say that they felt lonely or excluded. Further data outlines that one key reason for this may be the sense of belonging built into sports clubs, and by extension, their institution.

The results of this survey highlight the need for an institutional approach to engaging the inactive and continuing to improve the experience of the engaged. 18% of respondents reported being inactive, yet were still compelled to complete a survey on physical activity. There is an onus on all of us to work better to engage inactive students in every institution.

The report also highlights that particular groups may be missing out on the benefits of being active. Across the UK, Asian and Black women, students from deprived areas, commuter students, and students with a health condition that has a major impact on their life are all less likely to be engaged on campus. This follows wider population trends and highlights the need for us to consider all demographics in creating positive student experiences through activity.

This is all work that is ongoing at SSS and we look forward to shaping this into the future. As best summarised by our COO:

“Regular activity must increasingly be seen not as a nice-to-have, but as a key priority within modern campus life. We therefore urge leaders in colleges and universities to place sport and active wellbeing at the centre of every student’s experience.”

Whilst tertiary education continues to respond to an ongoing and growing mental health crisis among its student and staff communities, being active continues to offer an evidence-based route to a brighter, more positive future for us all.

The report is available in full, here.

All members, partners and interested parties are invited to our webinar discussing the Scottish-specific data, taking place on Thursday 1st May, 15:00-16:00. Sign up here.

Last Wednesday our Men’s and Women’s Football Cup Finals were held at Heriot-Watt University’s Oriam facilities. Read more about the action in our match reports below from Anya Diggines, and check out the match replays on our YouTube.

Queens Park Shield: Edinburgh Napier 1 – 2 University of Stirling

The University of Stirling have lifted the Queens Park Shield once again after two years, following a dominant performance against Edinburgh Napier.

Both teams started strong, as Stirling pressured the Napier back line a couple of times in the opening minutes.

Thomas Vonk crossed the ball to Jay Burns who had a shot at goal, but it went high, and a powerful shot from Lewis Blane called Harris Miller into action.

10 minutes in and Stirling still looked dangerous at the edge of Napier’s box. Vonk had a clear header, but it came back off the bar, as Stirling looked desperate to score.

Stirling looked clinical, winning the corner and passing it short to Burns who had space to take a shot, but it went over the bar.

A minute later and Vonk was up for a challenge with Miller as it tipped over the keeper’s head and had to be cleared off the line by the Napier defence.

Stirling managed to get their break on the 20^th minute as Finn Moffett found himself clear of the defence, as he dribbled it round the keeper and slipped it into the back of the net.

Napier bounced back though as Brodie Watt got a break on the ball, but Blane matched his speed, covering him well and denying the equaliser.

The goal spurred Napier into action, as they weren’t letting Stirling get away with much more. Chances were thwarted early as Stirling had to try even harder to get their second.

Their closest chance for a second came as Blane managed to get the ball under the keeper and it looked like it was going in, but Napier’s Iestyn Harries made a crucial clearance off the line to deny the goal.

Heading into half-time the score remained 1-0.

The second half remained uneventful, as chances were few and far between with both sides struggling to keep possession of the ball.

Napier had a huge chance to equalise from a freekick in the 66^th minute, as a scramble in the box saw the ball ricocheted off the bar.

Napier then had another chance as Lucas Lockhart received the ball in the box and smashed it towards goal from close range, but Stirling’s Alex Sutherland made a huge save to keep Stirling in the lead.

It was Stirling that got the second goal of the afternoon though, as they doubled their lead on the 71^st minute with an incredible shot from distance by Burns as it fired into the back of the net.

Napier were keen to get their first of the afternoon, as Louis Holmes received the ball from a corner and sent it towards goal, but it went high.

Holmes received the ball again in the box from a freekick and made an excellent shot towards goal, but it was tipped over the bar by Sutherland.

A scuffle in the box after the corner was the end of their spat of chances, as Stirling looked to take control of the game again for the last ten minutes.

However, Napier got one back in the 88^th minute, with Liam Cairns finding space at the edge of the box and firing it into the top right corner.

Napier looked desperate to see this game into extra time and maybe penalties, but Stirling held up well to block any threats.

It ended 2-1 at full-time, with the University of Stirling getting their hands on the trophy once again.

#SheCanSheWill Cup Final: University of Edinburgh 1 – 2 University of St. Andrews

It was an all too familiar fixture as these teams faced each other again in the final of this competition for the third season in a row.

The University of Edinburgh looked to lift the cup for the first time against St Andrews. Meanwhile, St Andrews looked to retain their winning streak as they beat Edinburgh twice and the University of Stirling once in the last three cup finals.

Auburn Brenner for St Andrews got a massive chance in the first five minutes as she received the ball in the box and fired the ball towards goal, but it was huge save from the Edinburgh goalkeeper, Lara Sparrow, to deny St Andrews the first.

St Andrews then got a freekick on the edge of the box and Liva Helt sent it to the right but just too far as it smacked off the post, St Andrews looking hungry for that first goal.

Another huge chance for St Andrews came as Olivia Boscaccy got the space to get a shot away at the edge of the box but it just skimmed over the bar.

Edinburgh began to find their feet 25 minutes in as they made some great tackles to stop St Andrews from getting a break on the ball.

Some excellent link-up play allowed Edinburgh to get a chance at goal four minutes before the break as Emily Arthur had a go, but it was sent wide.

A minute later and it was another huge chance for Edinburgh as Kasha Gronowska Butz took a shot inside the box, but it was a great save from Rowan Blacklock.

Helt hit the woodwork again a minute before the break, as St Andrews couldn’t seem to find this first goal.

It remained goalless heading into the break.

The half-time talk looked to make all the difference for Edinburgh as they came out in the second half dominating the game.

Edinburgh’s Dana Perry got a go at goal in the opening seconds of the second half, but it was picked up by Blacklock.

St Andrews’ Adriana Bobenrieth then had a go at the near post, but it was saved by Sparrow who went to ground.

St Andrews came so close just before the hour mark as the ball smashed off the post once again, the ball was picked up on the rebound and fired at the goal again whilst Sparrow was still on the ground, calling the Edinburgh defence to clear the ball off the line as it remained 0-0 with 30 minutes to play.

St Andrews missed a huge chance as Elanhe Sherrell had an open goal but just couldn’t get the shot away before Edinburgh’s defence cleared the threat.

St Andrews finally broke the deadlock on the 69^th minute as Brenner got the ball in the back of the net from a tight angle.

Finding their rhythm after the first goal, St Andrews got their second just six minutes later as Holly Govan scored a sublime goal, sending the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net.

Edinburgh’s captain, Varghese, then looked like she got one back, but the referee was soon blowing his whistle as it was offside.

However, they did get one back in the 86^th minute as Butz scored a fantastic goal, getting the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net.

Edinburgh threw everything into getting that second goal in the closing minutes of the game, however they just couldn’t take anything from their chances.

St Andrews lifted the trophy for the fourth consecutive year after a strong, resilient performance.