Last Chance for Conference Tickets

Information regarding the venue and parking will be circulated to all attendees prior to the event.

Stew Fowlie, COO, SSS and Clare Peddie, Vice-Principal (Education) at the University of St. Andrews

Paul McPate, Co-Director, Sport and Active Health, University of Dundee

Drawing on more than 40 years in student sport Paul will share the lessons, relationships and defining moments that have shaped both his career and the wider sector. Having witnessed significant change across university sport since beginning his career in 1985, Paul will reflect on how student sport has evolved through the lessons he has learnt along the way.

From adapting to an evolving sector to recognising the lasting impact of creating opportunities for others, the session will encourage attendees to reflect on what truly matters in sport and leadership, and what experiences from the past can teach us about shaping the future.

Choose one of the following breakouts to join:

Burnout: Being Fit for Purpose

David Howatson, Educator, Technogym

Based on the latest research into the syndrome of burnout, David from Conference Headline Partners Technogym will be discussing the impact in the context of fitness professionals and sports coaches.

Ops Pal Session - Title TBC

Craig Campbell, Chief Explanation Officer, Ops Pal

BUCS Session - Title TBC

Molly Byrne, Head of Belonging, BUCS

A chance to meet our partners including Technogym, Canterbury, BE Uniforms and Ops Pal.

Danielle Grieve, Activities Development Manager, Aberdeen University Student Association

This interactive networking session will provide delegates with the opportunity to build new connections and strengthen relationships with colleagues from across the student sport sector. Designed as a fun and informal social activity, the session will encourage attendees to meet new people, share experiences and connect beyond their own institutions and roles.

Alongside creating space for conversation and community-building, the session will also encourage the development of mentoring and peer-support relationships across the sector. Whether delegates are looking to share experience, seek guidance, support emerging professionals or build longer-term connections, the session aims to foster meaningful relationships that continue beyond the conference itself.

Choose two of the following breakouts to join:

The Role of Sport in Transitions
Kaden Houghton, Robert Gordon University, Current MRes Student

This session draws on Kaden’s MRes programme, exploring the transition to university and the role of physical activity in supporting psychological wellbeing. It will consider the challenges students face when entering higher education, including social adjustment, identity, and connection, and position sport and physical activity as key enablers within this transition improving overall student experience.

Building Belonging in Competitive Teams
Josh Darley, Liverpool John Moores University

This session draws on student-led research on the role of student sports team in creating a sense of belonging. Combined with research into practice from a year as VP Activities at Liverpool John Moore University Student Union, Josh will explore how sports teams can enhance but also negate a sense of belonging within their internal structures. In providing real life examples from their year in role, Josh outlines the tangible changes that have been made to create positive club cultures through the enhanced role of student leaders.

Using Sport for Social Change: The Positive Masculinity Project
Lauren Simpson, Active Campus Coordinator, Dundee and Angus College

This session explores how sport can be used as a powerful platform to engage young men in meaningful conversations around critical social issues. Lauren’s sessions throughout a dedicated programme explored how sport could be an entry point for dialogue that challenges attitudes, builds awareness and encourages positive behaviour change. Through delivering sessions over an academic term, the session will highlight how sport can be used to open up difficult conversations, foster reflection and support the development of more inclusive mindsets. Attendees will gain insight into approaches such as these and consider how they can equally be applied within their own programmes and communities.

Turning Ambition into Action: Co-Creating the SSS Equality Strategy
Waiyin Hatton, Chair of SSS Equality Action Group & Jordan Dawson, SSS Head of Development

This interactive session will bring members together to help shape the future direction and delivery of SSS’ Equality Strategy. Building on existing progress and recognising the challenges still ahead, the session will focus on how collective action, shared responsibility and meaningful engagement can drive long-term change. Designed as an active and participatory session, this workshop will provide members with the opportunity to contribute directly to the development of future strategy and help shape a shared vision for equality, inclusion and belonging.

This fireside-style panel session will bring together senior leaders from across SGBs for an open and reflective conversation on the role of student sport. Hosted by our very own Chris Purdie, the discussion will explore the opportunities, challenges and priorities shaping the sector, alongside the role student sport plays within Scotland’s wider sporting landscape.

Information regarding the venue and parking will be circulated to all attendees prior to the event.

Professor Susan Brown, Head of Sport Engagement, Edinburgh Napier University

In our opening to Day 2, Professor Susan Brown will explore her role as University Head of Sport Engagement and what this means for Edinburgh Napier University. As the University’s first post-holder in this area, her role brings together sport, research and student experience into a single, strategic vision—positioning sport as a key driver of innovation, inclusion and external impact internally, locally and nationally.

Bringing together student experience, research, partnerships and civic engagement, this role represents a step-change in how sport can contribute to institutional priorities. Susan will reflect on what it means to position sport as a driver of innovation, inclusion and impact—sharing insights into how this approach is shaping culture, strengthening connections, and opening up new opportunities across the university and beyond.

Choose two of the following breakouts to join:

Stay Well and Thrive: Using Insight and Evidence to Drive Change
Alison Cox MBE, Mental Health Lead, Glasgow Clyde College

This session, will share how Glasgow Clyde College has developed a whole-college approach to student wellbeing, using induction, digital engagement and data-informed practice to create a more supportive and connected student experience. Drawing on the College’s “Stay Well and Thrive” initiative, the session will explore how wellbeing has been embedded from enrolment onwards through accessible digital resources, proactive support and institution-wide collaboration. Alison will explore the role that data, insight and evidence can play in demonstrating the value and impact of wellbeing-focused work to senior leaders and decision makers.

Putting Funding in Students’ Hands: What Works?
Phoebe Moncur, Club Development Officer, Robert Gordon University & Stew Fowlie, COO, Scottish Student Sport

This session will examine how different approaches to funding student sport can be developed and delivered within institutions. The session will showcase RGU Sport Training and Education Programme (STEP) as a practical example of how targeted investment can support participation, development and wider student outcomes. This will be followed by an overview of the Summer of Sport funding initiative and the journey to delivery, offering a broader sector perspective on how funding can be used to enhance opportunities and drive impact.

Student Voice to System Change: Shaping Wednesday Afternoons
Eilidh Stuart, VP GSBS, GCUSA & Anna Bole, Student Intern, SSS

This session will explore how student insight and institutional policy can work together to shape the future of Wednesday afternoons across tertiary education. The first part of the session will showcase a SSS student internship project examining student perceptions, experiences and expectations of Wednesday afternoons, providing valuable insight into students experiences. Building on this, the session will then explore a policy-focused approach to creating change in this space from GCU, considering how institutions can respond to evolving student needs while balancing sport, wellbeing, academic commitments and wider engagement opportunities. Together, the session will offer both an evidence-informed student perspective and a strategic discussion on how Wednesday afternoons can be reimagined to better support participation, belonging and student life

A chance to meet our partners including Technogym, Canterbury, BE Uniforms and Ops Pal.

Our 'unconference' format puts you in the driving seat. Just like in sport, this is where tactics are tested, challenges are faced head-on, and team-mates come together to find solutions in real time.

Rather than a fixed agenda, this session is shaped by you — our members. You’ll bring the topics, set the priorities, and lead the conversations that matter most across the student sport landscape. Come ready to play your part — bring a challenge, an idea, or simply your experience. The strength of this session comes from the collective knowledge in the room. The more you put in, the more you, and the sector, will get out.

A final chance to network!

Sam Gough, England Captain

In this closing keynote, Sam Gough will share her journey through sport, education and leadership as captain of England’s first ever blind women’s football squad. Drawing on her lived experience as a visually impaired athlete, Sam will reflect on the barriers she encountered in accessing sport, the transformative impact of inclusive opportunities, and the growing visibility of blind women’s football on the international stage.

From navigating exclusion within school sport to representing England and advocating for the future of the women’s game, Sam’s story highlights the power of sport to build confidence, identity and belonging. Her keynote will explore themes of resilience, representation and systemic change, challenging institutions and organisations to think differently about inclusion and access in sport.