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Email enquiriesUniversities play an important role in supporting the development of sport at all levels and provide a unique multi-sport environment that helps to encourage participation, nurture talent, develop the sporting workforce and defi ne best practice. The British and Irish Olympic teams contain increasing numbers of university-based athletes and this trend is set to continue.
Sport is an important lever in widening access to higher education and in engaging communities. Sport brings many young people onto our campuses through university outreach or through use of our facilities by other organisations. Likewise, sports development programmes, camps and recreational activities make the University facilities accessible to a wide audience enhancing the lifestyle and well-being of many groups.
The University of Ulster Sports Academy brings together all stakeholders in sport at the University under a single management structure. This includes all aspects of our provision from services and facilities, sports development and outreach, teaching, research, and consultancy in sport and related studies. The University also supports high performance sport through the Sports Institute Northern Ireland (SINI) – a company operated in partnership with the Sport Northern Ireland.
The Ulster Sports Academy structure presents exciting new opportunities for synergy and the development of leading edge programmes for sport across the University. This in turn will provide further opportunities for the University to interact with governing bodies and to work with sports clubs in the vicinity of each campus. Regional engagement, skilling and knowledge transfer will underpin the approach of the Academy.
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Dr Nigel Dobson A graduate of Loughborough and Sheffield Hallam Universities Nigel has a broad range of experience across the sport and leisure sector. Previous employment includes Cardiff City Football Club, Cardiff City Council, Sheffield Hallam University; Strategic Leisure Ltd, UK Sport, Manchester 2002 Ltd, and ESP Ltd. His current role includes cross-campus responsibilities for sports development, facilities and services.
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Dr Marie Murphy Marie is a University of Ulster sport studies graduate with an MSc and PhD from Loughborough. Since 1992 she has been a lecturer and researcher in Exercise Science. She is a High Performance Coach and Director at City of Lisburn Salto Gymnastic Centre. Marie is a British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) accredited exercise physiologist and a member of the Sports Council Northern Ireland (SCNI). In parallel with her role as Co- Director of the Ulster Sports Academy Marie is also the Head of the School of Sports Studies within the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences. An extended profile for Marie is available. |
Athletes performing at the highest level need the best possible support facilities, services and coaching support. The University of Ulster’s vision is to be the leading university for sport in Ireland. Oour new indoor sport and recreation facilities at the Jordanstown campus which formally open in November 2008 create an environment that nurtures and leads high performance, through the provision of facilities, services and expertise. Images of the new facilities can be seen in the Image Gallery.
Based at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown, the Sports Institute Northern Ireland (SINI) is a two-member company comprising the Sports Council for Northern Ireland and the University of Ulster.
The mission of SINI is to ‘ensure improved athlete performance through the provision of world class support to high performance athletes and coaches’, in support of its long term vision of ‘consistent winning performances’.
SINI’s 3 strategic objectives are to develop:
SINI gives over 100 of Northern Ireland’s top athletes competing in the high performance environment priority access to support services and to first class facilities. Services are provided in the areas of sports medicine, sports science and coaching and performance management. To contact SINI email info@sini.co.uk or call +44 (0)2890 368295.
