Sports students to hit jackpot

Up to 4,500 lottery-funded sports scholarships are to be created for elite British competitors, the Department for National Heritage announced following last week's budget.

Precise levels of funding and a timetable for setting up the scholarships have yet to be settled. Both are expected in the New Year. But the announcement represents a substantial response to the Bannister committee report, laying down plans for a national scholarship scheme.

The announcement came only a week before the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals/Standing Conference on Principals task force on sport added its voice to those calling for such a scheme.

David Wallace, chair of the task force, says he expects scholarships for elite athletes to be worth about Pounds 15,000, but adds that grants of about Pounds 1,000 can greatly assist those on the way up.

The report also notes that the future of traditional Wednesday afternoon competitive fixtures is threatened, not only because of funding cuts, but also because the British Universities Sports Association has made changes to the timing of competitions. According to Professor Wallace, most universities know sport plays an important role in recruiting students, but he believes they could better promote their achievements.

The report suggests higher education institutes should develop programmes with national governing bodies of sport and encourage them to: introduce higher education liaison posts; encourage the local community to use facilities; attract elite athletes; and ensure that literature, particularly the prospectus, lists sports facilities and infrastructure and students' sporting successes.