Pioneering Partnership: Loughborough and UK Sport Launch Social Impact Initiative

UK Sport and Loughborough Unite to Drive Social Change through Major Events

Loughborough University, a prominent UK institution, is celebrated for its research, teaching excellence, and strong industry ties. Known for its achievements in sports and academic disciplines, it has been ranked the world’s best for sports-related subjects for the ninth consecutive year in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and holds a five-star QS rating. Domestically, the university is ranked 6th in the UK Complete University Guide 2025 and 10th in the Guardian University League Table and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. It also earned the title of University of the Year for Sport 2025 for the fourth time. Consistently placed among the top twenty in the Times Higher Education’s 'table of tables,' it has over 90% of its research rated as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the REF 2021. Furthermore, the university's contributions have been recognized through seven Queen’s Anniversary Prizes.

In partnership with UK Sport, Loughborough University is spearheading efforts to drive social impact during the LA 2028 cycle and beyond. This initiative aligns with UK Sport’s framework, Making Live Sport Matter, which prioritises embedding social impact within major events. The collaboration focuses on creating a centralized strategy and structure for social impact in the sector, leveraging scalable solutions, evidence-based methods, and best practices.

Professor Jo Maher, Loughborough's Pro Vice-Chancellor for Sport, expressed pride in the collaboration, emphasising that it aligns with the university’s mission of “creating better futures, together.” She highlighted the university's sports ecosystem, consisting of esteemed staff, athletes, coaches, and volunteers, as instrumental in demonstrating the positive influence of major events on UK communities. Similarly, UK Sport’s Head of Events, Esther Britten, underscored the ambition to use events as a platform for societal change within host communities. She noted that these partnerships would enhance ongoing efforts by event hosting partners while helping them achieve unmet aspirations, thanks to the expertise and networks of the involved organisations.

Dr. Verity Postlethwaite, Loughborough’s co-lead on the project, described the partnership as an exceptional opportunity to strengthen collaborations and harness innovation to address challenges in the events sector. She affirmed the team's dedication to developing equitable solutions that effectively demonstrate the social impact of events. This partnership exemplifies the shared vision of leveraging sports and events to create lasting positive changes in society.

Editor’s Note:

Loughborough University's remarkable journey as a top-ranking global institution is remarkable. Renowned for its excellence in education, impactful research, and robust industry ties, the university continues to set benchmarks, especially in sports and related academic fields. Consistently earning prestigious accolades, Loughborough exemplifies a commitment to innovation and societal contributions, as reflected in its ongoing initiatives and achievements. Additionally, Loughborough's partnership with UK Sport is an inspiring collaboration aimed at fostering social impact through major events. This initiative, aligned with UK Sport’s Making Live Sport Matter framework, underscores the power of collective expertise to create meaningful change. 

Skoobuzz believes that by focusing on evidence-based strategies, this partnership has the potential to drive lasting benefits for communities while also showcasing the transformative power of sports and events.