Decision regarding the pilot BASES Outreach Hubs

In September 2023, BASES will launch a poster competition aimed at engaging students aged between 14 and 18 years and studying GCSE, BTEC or A-Level subjects related to sport and exercise sciences. In January 2023, BASES was looking to recruit up to ten institutions around the UK that will act as outreach hubs, and sought expressions of interest from the membership.

The standard of applications was incredibly high, with 24 very strong submissions received from across the UK.

The following 10 institutions were judged to be within the top 10 and have been invited to act as a BASES outreach hub for 2023-24: Anglia Ruskin University, University of Essex, University of Gloucestershire, University of Huddersfield, University of Kent, Lancaster University, Liverpool John Moores University, Sheffield Hallam University, Ulster University, University of the West of Scotland.

All institutions will now be invited to planning meetings to support them to deliver the BASES Schools Poster Competition in 2023-24.

In addition to the above, BASES is committed to supporting the next generation of sport and exercise scientists and those who work in outreach and engagement with and for young people. From the success and interest in the above BASES outreach hub initiative, it has been decided to establish a Community of Practice for all applicants to the pilot round to discuss good practice and sharing of case study examples.

Commenting on the success of the recent applications and the quality of submissions received, Prof John Dickinson FBASES, Chair of the BASES Outreach Project Team, said, “The BASES Outreach panel was extremely impressed by all 24 applications. We are confident our final 10 will enable us to deliver our first schools’ poster project competition. We are hopeful in following years we will be able to expand our outreach hub network to include many more institutions across the UK. Our aim is to drive up the sport and exercise sciences outreach through BASES to improve public awareness and engagement in the fantastic research and applied work that out members produce.”