Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Meeting date: Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Official Report 1053KB pdf

---

Winning Students 100

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-12000, in the name of Keith Brown, on congratulating the University of Stirling on the launch of its winning students 100 programme. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I invite members who wish to participate in the debate to press their request-to-speak button now.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament congratulates the University of Stirling, in the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency, on the successful launch of its new Winning Students 100 programme; understands that this launch marks an important update to the existing Winning Students programme, initially established in 2008, which has awarded 1,700 scholarships since then, supporting gold medal Olympians and Paralympians, as well as European and world champions, in balancing their studies with high-performance and professional sports; commends the achievements of this scheme; understands that the scheme is made possible through cross-departmental support from the Scottish Funding Council, sportscotland, and the tertiary education sector, and looks forward to witnessing what it sees as the positive impact of this updated programme on the lives and careers of the participating student-athletes from across the network of universities and colleges that are involved.

17:28  

I thank those members who signed the motion, allowing it to be debated today. I brought the debate to the chamber to celebrate a significant milestone for the University of Stirling, which is located in my constituency. That milestone is the launch of the winning students 100 programme, as a successor programme to the existing winning students programme, which supports athletes to balance the needs of their studies and the demands of competing in high-performance sport.

The University of Stirling has been Scotland’s university for sporting excellence since 2008, around the same time that the initial winning students programme was launched. Since then, the programme has supported more than 1,700 scholarships, providing crucial assistance to gold-medal Olympians and Paralympians, and European and world champions, including Scottish long-distance runners Laura Muir and Eilish McColgan, and Alloa’s own Olympic medal-winning swimmer, Duncan Scott.

The new winning students 100 programme is the latest development in that proud history. In its inaugural year, it will support 106 students, including Olympic gold medallist curler Hailey Duff; Commonwealth games gold medallist diver Grace Reid; and the under-23s European 10,000m track record-holder Megan Keith, among others. Those others include not least Lewis Stewart, Commonwealth games 2022 gold medallist and Paralympics 2020 silver medallist, and Calum Douglas, Scottish hockey men’s player and Great Britain under-23 champion, both of whom are, I believe, currently sat in the public gallery, along with members of staff from the university who are involved in supporting the winning students 100 programme.

With your indulgence, Presiding Officer, I think that it would be good if members who are present in the chamber showed their appreciation for the efforts of the staff and the students here. [Applause.]

The scholarship includes up to £3,000 in funding, academic flexibility for athletes and a hardship fund to provide additional support to athletes if it is needed. The University of Stirling has brought together a network of 28 sports institutions and 21 education institutions to support the delivery of the programme. Over the past 15 years, both winning students programmes have supported those exceptional individuals through their studies, thereby allowing them also to dedicate themselves to their respective sports.

The commendation for the success of those programmes, however, goes far beyond the University of Stirling. The initiative receives funding from the Scottish Funding Council and from sportscotland, along with other support from the tertiary education sector. That needs to be highlighted and commended as well.

Nevertheless, such programmes require a great deal of organisation and logistical management in the background, and the University of Stirling has been exemplary in its management and delivery of the winning students 100 programme, supported by an experienced advisory board and management group, comprising professionals from both the sports and education sectors, to ensure that the programme operates to extremely high standards.

It takes just a little imagination to realise how much pressure competing in a high-performance sport can put on somebody who is, at the same time, trying to complete their studies, and those students deserve remarkable praise for what they have done. I remember attending a reception at the University of Stirling around three or four years ago with a number of the swimming champions. At that time, the University of Stirling had won more medals than many countries had won at the previous championships. That just goes to show that there is something in the air at the University of Stirling that has led to that astonishing success. Indeed, a member said to me just now, “What is it about Stirling and the surrounding area that seems to be so effective in producing world-class athletes?” It is about not just what those students have achieved in their sport, but the fact that they have done that at the same time as undertaking intensive study, for which they deserve our praise.

I do not wish to take up the full seven minutes, Presiding Officer, so I will conclude. The University of Stirling is the jewel in the crown of Scotland’s sporting excellence and has rightly been recognised as such since the winning students programme was launched—as I mentioned—in 2008-09, supporting some of Scotland’s top athletes behind the scenes since then. It is through those athletes that the winning students 100 programme will continue to elevate our sporting excellence as a country. I wish them all the best in their studies and in their sports. I also wish the University of Stirling all the best, as a remarkable institution that I am proud to represent, and I wish it every success in the pursuit of that goal in the future.

17:33  

I thank Keith Brown for bringing to the chamber this important debate to welcome the launch of the winning students 100 programme.

Scotland has long been a nation that has punched above its weight when it comes to sporting success. As well as having a rich pool of sporting talent, Scotland enjoys success that has been due in no small part to the support that athletes have received throughout their careers. Stirling university needs to be commended for, and congratulated on, its achievements.

For an example, we can look at the individuals who came from the previous winning students programme, which was launched back in 2008 and funded by the Scottish Funding Council. Some of the athletes who were supported by the programme are now, as we have heard, Olympic medallists and household names, such as Laura Muir and Duncan Scott.

The years that an athlete spends at university are an important opportunity for them to take part in their sport and take it to the next level. Those athletes face the challenge of combining their studies with their training and competitive programmes, so a balance needs to be struck. As we have heard, the winning students 100 programme provides students with grants of up to £3,000. However, the programme also provides much-needed academic flexibility for students, which allows them to train to the very best of their ability. The new winning students 100 programme has already awarded 106 scholarships across 28 different sports, including athletics, fencing, diving, hockey, rowing and triathlon.

As Scotland’s university for sporting excellence, it is only appropriate that Stirling university manages that programme, and that is a real feather in its cap. As we have heard, Stirling university is the jewel in the crown, and I certainly second that.

In the current economic climate, such programmes have a major impact. We know that, while Scotland has first-class sporting facilities, some of those are at risk across local authorities, and that needs to be talked about. Of course, universities play an important role in providing high-quality sports facilities, and I welcome the fact that Stirling has a new £20 million sports centre, which was opened back in 2020. For many councils and communities, however, swimming pools, leisure centres and athletics tracks are at risk. In order for Scotland to keep its reputation as a leading sports nation, it is vitally important that young athletes have access to world-class facilities across the country. However, in the current climate, there are real difficulties in that respect.

The winning students programme 100 is, therefore, needed to provide support. As I said, I would be the first to congratulate and commend everyone who is involved in it, because it produces world-class athletes for Scotland. Scotland has long been a sporting nation with an excellent reputation, and such programmes are key to maintaining that reputation in the future. I have no doubt that the 500 scholarships that will be awarded through the programme up to 2028 will lead to countless amazing sporting achievements.

I thank all those from the University of Stirling who have dedicated their time, commitment and passion to supporting those young individuals in their programmes. I wish all those talented athletes the success that they deserve, and I am sure that they will see many benefits from the programme as they go forward in the years to come.

17:37  

I, too, thank my colleague Keith Brown for bringing the debate to the chamber. As a Stirling university economics graduate, I am delighted to participate in the celebration of my alma mater—a place that holds such fond memories for me. It seems only weeks ago that I was careering around the campus, and often venturing further afield, with my huge Art Garfunkel-style mane straggled by the wind, enjoying the spectacular scenery that Stirling and its surroundings have to offer.

Sadly, my careering days are over and my curls are almost gone, but, as a former member of Stirling university athletics club, I share Keith Brown’s pride in Stirling’s rich sporting heritage, which continues to prosper with the expansion of the winning students 100 scholarship. The programme has supported 106 students in its first year, across 28 sports. Scholarship students will play a pivotal role in ensuring that we retain Scottish talent on our home turf, and—as we have heard—Stirling is Scotland’s centre for sporting excellence.

The academic flexibility that the programme offers enables talented Scots to pursue sporting dual-career pathways in their home nation, bypassing the dubious allure of the American college system or opportunities down south. That is important in enabling them to remain close to support networks and to maintain a consistent training environment, which is crucial for higher-level athletic performance. The £20 million investment in new sporting facilities, which were opened in 2020, demonstrates the commitment to sport in Stirling for many years to come.

Moreover, keeping our top athletes at home contributes to the economy, boosts our national pride and reinforces our sporting identity. By investing in the dual careers of our athletes, we foster a generation of educated and disciplined sportspeople. Recipients of the scholarship, such as Abby Kane and Rory Dickson from my Cunninghame North constituency, serve as inspiring role models for their peers and for future generations.

That is significant in particular for low-income, female or disabled athletes, who remain underrepresented in sports. Through witnessing the success of our scholarship athletes, they will be more inclined to believe in their own ability to pursue a dual sporting career. However, the expansion of the scholarship is not only an investment in the future; it significantly improves the academic and athletic performance of our athletes today.

Indeed, there is a plethora of evidence that suggests that students who participate in sports at university are less likely to drop out and that, overall, they attain more qualifications than their peers. A similar correlation has been identified with on-field performance: athletes who are enrolled in further education demonstrate improved teamwork, discipline and self-regulation abilities.

The broadening of the programme will provide crucial assistance for athletes during their retirement and transition to life beyond sports. Public attention tends to focus solely on athletes when they are at the zenith of their careers, while scant regard is given to their wellbeing and the intricacies of retiring from sports. Supporting athletes through university aids planning for the dark day when they must retire from competitive sport, facilitates adjustment to the labour market and enhances employment prospects. Beyond financial considerations, having accomplishments outside of sport means that athletes are less likely to encounter psychological challenges and identity crises upon retirement from competition.

I congratulate those who have been involved in the winning students 100 programme over the past 16 years. Their dedication and commitment has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in shaping the future of countless aspiring athletes. I emphasise to young Scots that pursuing a career in sport need not come at the expense of academic or personal growth. With determination and support, they can excel in both realms and contribute to the rich tapestry of Scottish sporting excellence. The University of Stirling’s contribution to Scottish sport is the pride of our nation. I say well done to all who have been involved and best of luck to those who are still to pass through the university doors in the coming years.

17:41  

I thank Keith Brown for bringing the debate to the chamber. I am pleased to welcome the new funding for the new winning students 100 sport scholarship programme, to recognise the role of the University of Stirling in running the scheme and to celebrate the success of the programme since it was first established in 2008.

The partnership between the Scottish Funding Council, sportscotland and the education sector is welcome. Scotland’s upcoming sporting heroes will see the benefit of the investment in them, and I hope that that support will have a significant impact on their sporting futures. It is also important to recognise that sporting excellence benefits Scotland as a whole by supporting our local and wider economies and Scotland’s place on the international stage.

We are in an Olympic year and, this past weekend, we saw many top athletes at the world indoor championship in Glasgow. As spectators, we can enjoy the competition and the achievement that we see on those stages, but we recognise that behind it are many years of training, hard work and striving towards sporting excellence. However, that training and hard work often goes alongside a day job or, for younger participants, education. Being able to balance that is no mean feat, which is why the partnership between the Scottish Funding Council, sportscotland and the further and higher education sector should be recognised. The involvement of sportscotland is a positive addition that reflects the commitment of the sporting and education bodies to working together to support our student athletes.

For students who look to balance their studies with sporting commitments, the programme not only provides financial support but, by working with colleges and universities, ensures that students are able to balance their training and competition with the demands of their courses. They make sure that additional support is in place, such as academic flexibility, which is key to allowing student athletes to pursue their dual interests. The funding from the programme can help in covering the cost of travel, not just for competitions but to and from training facilities. The additional funding that is available in the current round for athletes who come from areas of high deprivation is to be welcomed.

I am pleased to hear that the newly branded programme has already awarded 106 scholarships for 2023-24 encompassing Olympians, Paralympians and European and world champions. They include the current Olympic curling champion, Hailey Duff, who is a University of Stirling graduate. Members will be aware of my interest in protecting curling facilities at the Dewar centre in Perth and the centre’s role in producing a number of medals for Scotland on the European and world stages. Those include the girls event at the European junior curling tour at the Dewar centre, which Scotland’s junior championships team, led by Robyn Munro, won in January last year. That team included the former Perth academy student Holly Wilkie-Milne, who grew up training at the Perth rink. The importance of investment in competitions and the provision of facilities go hand in hand. The recent success of teams at the Perth masters—where curlers of all generations from new beginners to Olympians competed—helped to demonstrate that.

The original winning students programme awarded more than 1,700 scholarships during its first phase of funding, including to middle and long-distance runner Laura Muir, who was raised in Milnathort. She successfully balanced studying for a degree as a vet with the rigours of working towards her European title and Olympic silver. Laura competed in the recent world indoor championships at the Commonwealth arena in Glasgow, alongside Josh Kerr and Jemma Reekie. Her successes are a great example of what the programme supports and an inspiration to current participants.

I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of the updated programme on the lives and careers of the participating student athletes from my region of Mid Scotland and Fife and across Scotland. I want to express my best wishes for continued success to the young athletes who have benefited from the programme. I thank the network of universities and colleges, stakeholders and organisations that are involved and I particularly recognise the huge contribution that has been made by the University of Stirling.

17:45  

Let me begin by thanking Keith Brown for bringing this motion to Parliament and members from across the chamber who have contributed. I especially thank Kenneth Gibson, who teased us with his contribution. I think that I speak for the chamber when I say that we would really enjoy sight of the photographs of that Art Garfunkel look that he sported during his time at the University of Stirling.

We often hear about the power of sport and the positive and valuable contribution that sport and physical activity make to personal, community and national wellbeing in Scotland. I know how much store I set by heading to the golf course, for example, for the benefit of my mental and physical health, although all too often that activity does very little for my blood pressure and does not fulfil a pledge that I made to cut down on my use of unparliamentary language outside this place.

To be serious, sport also has the power to unite, and that is particularly evident when we witness the passion that we Scots show as a nation when supporting our sporting superstars. Scotland continues to produce world-class athletes, who compete in many disciplines on the international stage. Whether it is the Commonwealth games, the Olympics, the Paralympics or international events such as the world indoor athletics championships, which took place in Glasgow last week, our athletes deliver outstanding performances.

Although we witness their success, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge, as Claire Baker did, that those successes require years of dedication and sacrifice. The level of commitment that is required of young athletes in order to develop and progress in sport is so impressive, and it is essential that there is a positive pathway for individuals who wish to pursue sporting and academic excellence.

We are committed to ensuring that all students in Scotland have access to the best possible support and that those who need it most are supported. I want to ensure that we continue to do all that we can to give our athletes and young people the help that they need. That is why I am delighted to see the launch of the winning students 100 scholarship. The programme is a true cross-sector collaboration of Scotland’s sport and higher education bodies, which will assist our young athletes to find the right balance between training, their studies and other commitments.

The partnership between sportscotland, the Scottish Funding Council and the University of Stirling will build on the foundations and successes of the original winning students programme. With funding secured until 2028, the number of athletes who are supported will continue to grow.

As a sports fan, I have watched previous winning students scholarship recipients do amazing things on the world stage. I am thinking of athletes such as Duncan Scott who, in Tokyo, became the first team Great Britain athlete ever to win four medals in a single game, and Laura Muir who, as others have noted, is another former recipient and is now firmly established as one of the world’s top middle-distance runners. While Laura was training to be a vet at the University of Glasgow, the winning students programme provided her with scholarship funding to help her to achieve her sporting and academic goals.

I am grateful to Keith Brown for reminding us that Eilish McColgan was also a beneficiary. Eilish was born and raised in Carnoustie in my Angus South constituency. The programme also gave para cyclist Karen Darke the opportunity to change her academic focus and get advice about the direction of her studies as a scholar and an athlete. As part of the programme, Karen was given flexibility with regard to studying and competing. I could mention so many other former recipients who have gone on to be successful in their sport and, in some cases, become world, Olympic or Commonwealth champions.

As Alexander Stewart noted, 106 scholarships have already been awarded for 2023-24 across 28 different sports, and I have no doubt that many of the current recipients will become our superstars of tomorrow. Those receiving scholarships include athletes such as Megan Keith, who is already setting European age-level records, and Grace Reid, Scotland’s most decorated diver. Both are prime examples of world-class student athletes who are pursuing excellence in and out of the classroom.

We remain committed to the principle that access to education should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay. All students, no matter their background, should have an equal chance of entering and succeeding in higher education. I therefore particularly welcome the additional funding that is available to student athletes from areas of high deprivation. That can make a real difference, particularly given the flexibility for scholarship funding to be spent on a number of support services, from student accommodation to competition fees and sports equipment.

Sporting experiences in colleges and universities play a key role in the development of young people in their early sporting lives and are a vital part of building their competence and confidence in sport. Last year saw the successful launch of the college active campus network, which is a groundbreaking initiative that is aimed at promoting health and wellbeing among students in higher education. That exciting new partnership, which is delivered between sportscotland and Colleges Scotland, alongside Scottish Student Sport, will help to put sport and physical activity at the centre of college life by giving students across the country the opportunity to get active, significantly benefiting the physical and mental wellbeing of participants. I am sure that all this year’s winning students recipients will be fantastic ambassadors for sport and will act as role models in colleges and universities, encouraging others to participate and be physically active.

The winning students programme has made a proven contribution to the performance sports system in Scotland, combining the power of education and sport in a truly distinctive way, as a key ingredient for success. I cannot wait to see and hear about all the sporting and academic achievements of future alumni of the winning students 100 programme.

Again, I thank Keith Brown for securing the debate, which has provided us with the opportunity to celebrate not only the launch of the winning students 100 programme but the achievements of Scotland’s young athletes.

Thank you, minister. I think that we all look forward to seeing the photos of Kenneth Gibson, who, like Art Garfunkel, has dedicated his career to building bridges over troubled water.

With that, the debate is concluded, and I close this meeting of Parliament.

Meeting closed at 17:51.