Why UniBank supports university sport

Did you know that university students who participate in sport during their studies could earn more than students who don’t?

Apart from the obvious physical benefits, playing sport brings a multitude of other benefits including improvements in student wellbeing and graduate outcomes.

A recent study by British Universities & College Sport (BUCS) surveyed over 6,800 students from 104 universities to identify that students who participated in sport had higher scores in life satisfaction, worthwhileness, social inclusion and perception of attainment compared to those that did not participate in sport. Ongoing opportunities for students to participate in sport are therefore crucial, particularly as university students are at increasing risk of suffering from social and emotional issues.

A separate BUCS report¹ that found involvement in sport can enhance student employability. 96% of surveyed employers indicated that employees with previous sport involvement made a positive impact on their organisation. Many employers stated they actively look for sport engagement in graduate applications. Employers also believe that involvement in sport develops essential soft skills such as teamwork, problem solving and communication skills. The same report also highlighted that graduates involved in sport at university earned on average more than £7,000 than those who did not. This is a growing area of research, but these studies are all finding positive links between sport involvement and graduate outcomes.

Know more about our partnership with UniSport Nationals

One paper published in the International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics (‘The impact of engagement in sport on graduate employability’²) found that “engagement in sport was viewed as a sound investment from the perspectives of all three groups directly involved (Graduates, Employers and Universities), with examples highlighting how sport provided ‘added value’ beyond subject-specific qualifications. This finding was particularly prominent where graduates demonstrated experience of voluntary roles through the leadership and management of sport and could articulate how this had a positive impact on the development of additional employability attributes”.

In addition, the topic of sport as an indicator of business potential has been highlighted in the media in a 2017 report, ‘Here’s why businesses should hire athletes’. This article detailed that research conducted by Ernst & Young (EY) helped prove a hypothesis that the skills and experience gained through sports translate into marketable leadership skills.

The EY research found that athletes are especially qualified for business environments because they i) see projects through to completion, ii) they have an uncanny ability to motivate themselves and others, and iii) they know how to collaborate and work as a team.

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting university sport, UniBank has partnered with UniSport Australia to deliver the annual Nationals Div 1 and Div 2.  These multi-sport events are held across two weeks and bring over 8,000 students together to compete in 43 sports.

UniSport Australia is the peak body for university sport and is committed to delivering high-quality sport opportunities for all students.

“The partnership with UniSport is important as it helps us to support students from across all 42 universities to not only excel at their chosen sports but to pursue a healthy and connected student experience on campus”, said Mike Lanzing, UniBank General Manager.

UniSport CEO, Mark Sinderberry, was also delighted that UniBank have signed up for another three years, stating, “UniBank share a similar commitment to UniSport Australia to supporting active, healthy, well-rounded and engaged students and to delivering exceptional services and support to Australian university students.”

UniSport Australia saw some major changes in 2018 with a new brand and a totally revised format for their sporting event program, both of which have been met with an overwhelmingly positive response.

“UniSport Australia is thrilled that UniBank has taken this journey with us and we thank them for their enthusiastic support that has allowed us to deliver sport and activity”, Mark said.

“We are excited to be on the journey with UniSport and committed to helping students reach their full potential in their studies, sport and future careers”, Mike added.