University of Canberra: New Sports Academy at St Edmund’s College to strengthen student pathways to study at UC
The University of Canberra and St Edmund’s College have launched the St Edmund’s College Sports Academy.
The Academy is a functional program established as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding between St Edmund’s College and the University. This mutually beneficial program will provide foundational pathways to UC courses for St Edmund’s College students, and access to practical, real-life work experience for UC students.
“We want to attract more students from St Edmund’s to study at UC and at the same time give our students access to Work Integrated Learning [WIL] opportunities at the college,” said Associate Professor Julie Cooke, Head of School, Rehabilitation and Exercise Science at the University’s Faculty of Health.
“For example, those studying Sport and Exercise Science at UC would pair up with the sporting teams at St Edmund’s, a business student would work in the school office, or education students could get classroom placements.”
Associate Professor Cooke said the program aims to enhance students’ sporting, academic and tertiary opportunities through a holistic sporting approach, aligned with the University’s Sport Strategy launched in 2021.
The Sport Strategy aims to level the playing field in gaining access to university, through building and developing relationships with a range of educational institutions and sporting organisations.
“We want to see students engaged in a program that helps them reach their potential in all areas of life,” Associate Professor Cooke said.
Students in Years 11 and 12 at St Edmund’s College will need a C-grade average across a combination of five subjects to apply for a place in a University of Canberra course.
“It is very exciting to be in partnership with the University of Canberra, and the Sports Academy will allow non-ATAR reliant entry to certain courses within the University through the School Recommendation Scheme (SRS),” said Joe Zavone, St Edmund’s College Principal.
“It allows us to offer more diverse pathways for our students to access tertiary education, and to give them more opportunities to study further in fields that they want to specialise in,” Mr Zavone said.
The scheme will enable St Edmund’s College students to apply for a range of courses across all faculties at the University, through sport-related majors in their final years of school.
“They could go on to study sport media at UC in the Faculty of Arts and Design or sport management through the Faculty of Business, Government and Law, as well as a range of courses through the Faculty of Health,” Associate Professor Cooke said.
“Sport lies at the heart of the University of Canberra, linking teaching, learning and research to our civic commitment, and it is integral to the staff and student experience at UC.”
The University of Canberra and St Edmund’s College hope to establish even more diverse partnerships in the future.
“We want to offer as many different and worthwhile opportunities for our students to engage with staff and students from the University and enhance their educational opportunities,” Mr Zavone said.
The Sports Academy program is expected to get underway after the school holidays, with the opportunity for 2023 entry into courses at the University of Canberra.