Podium is the further and higher education unit for the London 2012 Games tasked with involving and engaging universities, unions and students in different aspects of the Olympiad that is coming our way.

It does so by looking at five mains strands: community engagement; skills and employability; business and enterprise; the cultural Olympiad and active participation in sport.

NUS is involved in the student action group that has been set up comprising of students’ union officers in HE and FE to look at the impact upon students’ unions and how we can get maximum involvement from students in the years to come.

When focussing on the cultural Olympiad and active participation in sport, it is key that students’ unions are aware of the benefits that the Olympiad can bring to their campuses, colleges and their students. This applies across the country and into Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland as the Olympics bring so many different aspects of international life together.

The role that students’ unions can play is pivotal when universities and colleges are planning for 2012 and beyond, and believe me they are planning. Student involvement should be at the heart of not only the planning and delivery of the Olympiad but the legacy and impact that it leaves behind on your campuses. This project and the Olympiad should impact across the whole of the students’ union, through the impact on the educational experience, to student welfare and the role that international students can play.

It is also an excellent opportunity for the development of disability sport with the Paralympics being held immediately after the Olympic Games, and removing barriers to participation should be in the forefront of all our minds.

I am excited going forwards that Podium can really explore ways and means of allowing students’ unions and our students to get the most out of London 2012.

If you are already aware of things happening around the 2012 Olympics, or things that the university or college are planning then please do get in touch and tell us all.

If you would like to know more about Podium or find out ways that you can get involved please email either myself richard.budden@nus.org.uk or Simon Leach (Chair of Student Group and AU President at Portsmouth) simon.leach@port.ac.uk.

Cheers,

Richard ‘Bubble’ Budden

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