Academic Policy & Governance

Support for Dual Career Athletes Guidelines

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Introduction

The University of Glasgow recognises that there is an increasing number of talented athletes managing the considerable demands of combining education with high performance sport. These ‘Dual Career Athletes’ face the same pressures as their non-athlete peers, such as fulfilling academic commitments, but must do so while also managing extensive training and competition schedules.

The University encourages its students to excel in academic and non- academic pursuits. It is committed to supporting its student athlete population and recognises the contribution made by this group to the University and to the students’ own personal development and success.

To help support these talented athletes realise their academic and sporting potential there is a need to develop flexible study and support mechanisms that are both appropriate and practical. The purpose of this support is to help the athletes with managing the additional demands they face, as a result of training and competing at the highest levels, and not to dilute the rigour of their academic study.

This Guidance Statement has been produced to affirm the University of Glasgow’s commitment to openly encourage and embrace Dual Career Athletes in their pursuit of academic and sporting excellence, as well as to provide clear advice on the mechanisms that exist to support Dual Career Athletes.

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Guidance Statement

Through its commitment to excellence and to raising student aspirations, the University of Glasgow recognises that the primary purpose for talented athletes while at the University is to pursue a programme of study that has academic rigour and career potential. A proactive approach, wherever practicable, will be adopted towards supporting talented athletes to manage their academic workload alongside significant training and competition commitments.

Specific support will be provided to those students who annually apply for, and are accepted onto, the Sport Bursary Programme.[1] The Sport Bursary Programme will be led by University of Glasgow Sport (UofG Sport) and directed by a designated member of staff.

[1] In exceptional cases, some support may also be provided to other students who are not formally accepted onto the Sport Bursary Programme, following discussion and mutual agreement between UofG Sport and the relevant Head(s) of School or their designates.

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Eligibility to Apply for Membership of the Sport Bursary Programme

Applications to the Sport Bursary Programme are welcome from all students, regardless of academic level, mode of study or fee status. Applications will normally be considered at the start of each academic year and confirmed no later than four weeks from the start of Semester One. However, students may make a case for late admission where their performance level changes.

Membership of the Sport Bursary Programme will normally be considered for athletes, technical officials or coaches who can evidence current alignment to one of more of the following:

• National Institute of Sport Performance Pathway or Programme.
• National Governing Body Performance Pathway or Programme.
• National Age-grade Player Development Pathway or Programme.
• National Sport Academy.
• National or Governing Body Talent Identification Pathway or Programme.
• Competing, officiating or coaching at National or International level as a Junior or Senior.
• Winning Students (Scotland), TASS (RUK) supported or equivalent.
• Any other relevant measure of high-level status, esteem or achievement, as appropriate to the student’s sporting discipline.

Existing students who progress within their sport during their studies to the level defined above are encouraged to apply for membership as soon as evidence becomes available.

To request membership, applicants should submit the online application form, together with any supporting documentation (including official letterheads and signatures) from the appropriate organisation(s) verifying their status and commitment to sporting excellence. Once accepted, students will require to verify their continued status annually.

For the avoidance of doubt, in the remainder of this document the term “athlete” refers to an athlete, technical official or coach who is a member of the Sport Bursary Programme.

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Guiding Principles and Actions

Concerning the University of Glasgow:

• Support mechanisms will only be made available to talented athletes who meet the appropriate academic criteria for their programme of study – i.e. athletes’ academic standards will not be compromised in any way.[2]
• The University will endeavour to manage athletes’ expectations at the outset by providing to athletes a realistic assessment of the level of support and flexibility available to them, given their programme of study and their sporting commitments.
• The University will assume responsibility for determining the mechanisms best suited to supporting students, replicating or adapting where appropriate examples of good practice found across the sector. Such examples include ensuring that staff maintain an appropriate level of awareness of the University’s support for talented athletes and the various mechanisms for delivering this support (see Appendix A).

Concerning Athletes:

• Talented athletes should understand at the outset that any support and flexibility on offer has limitations and that normal academic standards must be (See also footnote 2).
• To receive support, prospective and current students have a responsibility to engage with the University as early as is feasible, regarding their sporting status and training and competition Wherever possible, athletes’ engagement with the University should consider any potential future commitments that may be anticipated, as well as those already confirmed. Athletes should also seek to identify and discuss, as early as possible, which sporting commitments are considered compulsory and which may be considered optional.
• Applicants to the Sport Bursary Programme should be clear that certain requirements of their programme of study may be incompatible with their required regime of training and competition. Where this is the case, the University will make applicants to the Programme aware of such issues as early as possible.
• Talented athletes are responsible for fulfilling the obligations of their programme of study and their support plans. Failure to do this will jeopardise the support they receive in managing their academic commitments.

[2] While meeting the appropriate academic criteria for progress through their programme of study should be considered the minimum expectation, athletes’ academic performance will be kept under regular review to ensure that they are fulfilling their academic (as well as sporting) potential to the best of their ability. 

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Academic Support

Eligible members of the Sport Bursary Programme will be able to request the following support:

• Access to the designated member of staff in UofG Sport to support signposting, forms, funding opportunities, regulations, contacts, networks, and other useful information. (Note that members of the Programme will also have access to other non-academic related benefits, details of which can be found on the University webpages.)
• Additional support from the designated UofG Sport lead, who will assist the athlete in a number of ways:
• Organising a personal planning meeting at the beginning of the academic year. The purpose of this session is predominantly to discuss and pre-plan flexibility needs where information around training and competition is already available. National Governing Body or other Athlete Welfare coordinators will also be invited to this meeting where appropriate.
• Liaison with the athlete and with School Support Staff on timetabling, to avoid clashes with training/competition schedules where possible.
• Supporting the student to audio record lectures and (where relevant) tutorials which will be missed due to training or competition schedules. This may be enabled via a ‘Dual Career Buddy’: a suitable fellow student who can take responsibility for recording missed sessions, for the sole use of the athlete. Permission for these recordings must be obtained from the relevant lecturer or tutor.[3]
• Supporting the athlete with planning each semester so that, wherever necessary and possible, alternative arrangements for academic studies and assessment can be made in advance.
• Supporting the athlete where training or competition selection requires the athlete to be away from University at short notice, while recognising the responsibilities of the athlete to identify as early as possible situations where this might occur.
• An appropriate extension for coursework submissions, to be agreed with the relevant Head(s) of School in consultation with the appropriate Course or Programme Leader and the athlete’s Advisor of Study. Extensions would normally be deemed appropriate for students who are competing in global, continental or Commonwealth events (e.g. the Olympic or Commonwealth Games, European or World Championships or similar) where the student may be away from the University for longer than the normal five-day coursework extension period. Guidance on eligibility for an extension should be sought in the first instance from the athlete’s Advisor of Studies who may, in turn, liaise with the relevant Chief Advisor of Studies. Note that confirmation of the athlete’s participation may be required from the appropriate National Governing Body or equivalent.
• Assessment flexibility, again to be agreed with the relevant Head(s) of School in consultation with the appropriate Course or Programme Leader and the athlete’s Advisor of Study. Where an athlete is not available to sit an exam or other fixed-date assessment (for example, an online test) because of a National or international Level of competition or significant training camp, wherever possible an alternative assessment will be made available and arrangements made for the athlete to attempt this at the earliest opportunity on return, or (as appropriate) before departure. Again, guidance on arranging flexible assessments should be sought in the first instance from the athlete’s Advisor of Studies.
• Progression flexibility. Where an athlete is referred to a Progress Committee as a result of assessment being deferred into a subsequent session, the Committee should take account of all the circumstances and treat the athlete in the same way as a student who had deferred assessment through Good Cause.

The academic support described above is, in principle, applicable to all academic programmes within the University. However, in some instances, external accreditation requirements may supersede the ability of the University to be flexible. In these cases, athletes should speak to their Head of School for guidance. Further examples of assessment flexibility options can be found in Appendix A.

[3] + student permissions where required.

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