News

A creative campus for Universities Week

Published 1 May 2012

The University of Brighton is one of 13 universities across the south-east which have joined forces under the banner of the Creative Campus Initiative for a programme of innovative and dynamic cultural events inspired by this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This forms part of the third annual Universities Week campaign, which aims to increase public awareness of the wide and varied role of the UK's universities. This year's campaign will look at the contribution that our universities make – and have always made – to the Olympic movement, the sports industry and society as whole.

Throughout the week events will take place at universities across the UK to showcase the diverse ways in which universities have engaged with the Olympic and Paralympic Games – from sports training, research and development to the university-led Cultural Olympiad and volunteering projects that will support the London 2012 sporting events.

The Creative Campus Initiative by the universities of Brighton and Sussex forms part of the Cultural Olympiad and is led by Professor Anne Boddington, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Brighton, and Dr Sally Jane Norman, Director of the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts. It is managed between both universities by Cultural Co-ordinator, Cara Courage.

One project involves MA Digital Media Art's students at the University of Brighton who have helped to develop Sea of Voices, an interactive sound walk along the Brighton seafront, which examines our fascination with the stories and histories of the sea. The Sea of Voices walk is open from 5–27 May and was created by artist group Invisible Flock in partnership with the University of Brighton's Faculty of Arts as well as Brighton arts organisations, including Lighthouse, Fabrica, Brighton Festival, Blast Theory, Photoworks.

Universities Week will culminate with the BUCS VISA Outdoor Athletics Championships (OAC), a London 2012 test event as part of the London Prepares Series. Taking place in the Olympic Stadium, OAC offers students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete at the Olympic Stadium.

Universities Week 2012 follows a successful campaign in 2011, which saw 110 universities and 52 renowned ambassadors take part in showcasing the work of the higher education sector.

This year the week looks to be an even bigger success with a series of high profile ambassadors including Seb Coe, John Inverdale and Dame Kelly Holmes helping to highlight how universities benefit everyone, whether or not they have been to university themselves. Hear what the ambassadors have to say at youtube.com/universitiesweek2012.

Professor Julian Crampton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Brighton, said: "Universities Week 2012 is an excellent opportunity to showcase some of the fantastic work universities are contributing to the world of sport, which is especially apt with the Games taking place this year. Here at the University of Brighton we are heavily involved in London 2012 and it provides a great chance to invite people to experience university life first-hand, whether they've been to university themselves or not."

Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive, Universities UK, said: "From supporting top athletes to providing training facilities for students and local communities, producing world-class sporting research and hosting Olympic teams from across the globe, universities are working together to contribute to the UK's Olympic effort.

"Once again with Universities Week we hope to show that it is not just students who benefit from university, but the whole of UK society."

Karen Rothery, Chief Executive Officer of BUCS, added: "British Universities & Colleges Sport's vision is to enhance the student experience through sport – what better way could there be than competing in the Olympic stadium itself during Universities Week? And Britain's students will be able to do just that. Sport is taking centre stage in the UK and is enjoying its highest profile for many years. This week is an amazing opportunity for BUCS student athletes, their friends and families and the broader communities to show how their lives are improved by taking part in sport."

For more information on events happening near you and around the UK visit www.universitiesweek.org.uk.