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Bond signs MOU with Loughborough University

Bond University academics, students and athletes will gain access to the United Kingdom’s best sport-based research and high-performance institution under a new partnership with Loughborough University. 

Professor Nick Jennings andProfessor Tim Brailsford sign MOU
Professor Nick Jennings and Professor Tim Brailsford 

Loughborough is renowned as the UK’s leading sport university and regarded as one of the best in the world. The campus in the English midlands is home to several British national sporting bodies. 

The University has been crowned British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) champions for 41 consecutive years.

Bond University President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Tim Brailsford travelled to the UK last week to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with his counterpart at Loughborough, Professor Nick Jennings.

The landmark 5-year strategic partnership is aimed at enhancing academic collaboration between the two institutions, advancing a range of education and research initiatives.

Under the MOU, Bond University and Loughborough University (LU) will engage in a variety of cooperative activities that promise mutual benefits. Key areas of collaboration include:

  1. Articulation Agreements: Creating pathways for students to advance to higher degree awards.

  2. Collaborative Teaching: Joint training and supervision of Master's and PhD students.

  3. Sports and High-Performance Training: Collaborative activities in sports science and athlete development.

  4. Research Initiatives: Joint research projects across diverse academic fields.

  5. Information Exchange: Sharing research findings and educational resources.

  6. Publication Exchange: Distribution of research and university publications.

  7. Staff and Student Exchange: Reciprocal visits to enhance cultural and academic exchange.

  8. External Networking: Facilitating connections with external parties for collaborative opportunities.

  9. Joint Proposals: Engaging in research and training programs sponsored by various funding agencies.

Professor Brailsford said the MOU was a significant collaboration with a like-minded university that aligned perfectly with Bond’s commitment to providing a world-class education combined with the pursuit of sporting dreams. 

“Loughborough has been well recognised as the best university for sport in the UK, especially since the expansion of facilities around the London 2012 Olympic Games and it is important for Bond that we continue to connect globally,” he said. 

“In discussions with Loughborough, it has been remarkable how our cultures, aspirations, opportunities and challenges align. We look forward to a long and productive partnership.”

Bond University Rugby Club players and staff became familiar with Loughborough University when they spent several days on the campus during their 2023 European tour.  

The visit included fact-finding sessions with Loughborough’s high-performance and sports-based academic teams, as well as friendly matches where Bond’s men played 15s and the women played 7s.

Loughborough University is home to the professional English premiership side, Loughborough Lightning, captained by England Red Roses captain Sarah Hunter. The squad features several other English representative players, as well as internationals from the USA, Canada, Wales, and Scotland.

The University also serves as the home base for several national sporting bodies, reinforcing its status as the hub for sport in the UK. Notable partnerships include:

  • British Athletics: With the High-Performance Athletics Centre acting as their National Centre, the governing body for athletics is based on campus. Olympic and Paralympic medallists regularly train here.

  • British Swimming: The national governing body utilises the Olympic-size pool and world-class gym facilities, producing Olympic and World titleholders and record-breakers.

  • British Triathlon: Loughborough houses one of two triathlon performance centres in the UK, with top athletes training on campus.

  • British Weightlifting: Olympic and Paralympic weightlifters frequently train at Powerbase, the sector-leading strength and conditioning gym.

  • England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB): The state-of-the-art cricket centre on campus has been home to the ECB for over a decade.

  • England Netball: The Red Roses train year-round at Loughborough, utilising the Netball-Badminton Centre and Powerbase Gym. England Netball’s headquarters are also located on campus.

This partnership heralds a new era of international collaboration for Bond University, creating exceptional opportunities for academic and athletic advancement.

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