Football and universities learning together
Published 17 June 2011
The charitable arm of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, Albion in the Community, and the universities of Brighton and Sussex have joined forces to launch a programme of seminars to celebrate the opening of the club's Amex stadium at Falmer.
The seminars, for professionals and volunteers, will be on critical issues for communities of education, regeneration and health promotion.
Amex stadium at Falmer nearing completion in November 2010
The three-way collaboration, called 'New arenas: football and the community', aims to "illuminate" the contribution the football club and its new stadium, and the universities, can make to community regeneration and individual wellbeing.
Brighton and Sussex universities will also work with the Albion to maximise student volunteering and make sure football into the community becomes a wider part of university life.
There has been massive investment in Falmer by both universities and the football club, and the changes are set to continue with the building of the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, and the planned Keep, an historical research centre for the city and East Sussex.
Martin Perry, Brighton & Hove Albion's chief executive, said: "As Falmer-based learning organisations eager to contribute to the wider community, it is wonderful to be working together in such an innovative way."
Professor Julian Crampton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Brighton, said: "This is a welcome new and innovative dimension to the university's community university partnership programme."
Professor Michael Farthing, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, said: "Bringing a successful football club and two universities together in this way is a major achievement and strengthens our involvement in the community. We look forward to working together in the future."
The first new arenas seminar is on 23 June at University of Brighton in Falmer and poses the question: How can sport help tackle social exclusion? You can find more details and book a place here.
Find out more
For further information email David Wolff d.wolff@brighton.ac.uk.
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