Academy of Sport and Wellbeing official opening
Perth College UHI's multi-million pound Academy of Sport and Wellbeing was officially opened on Monday 20 March by Scotland's Deputy First Minister, John Swinney.
Our Academy of Sport and Wellbeing was officially opened on Monday 20 March by Scotland's Deputy First Minister, John Swinney.
Margaret Munckton, Principal said, "It's an important landmark for Perth College UHI opening the Academy of Sport and Wellbeing today. We are fully committed to providing our students with the best possible experience, and the Academy offers a range of opportunities, not only for our sport, fitness, hair, beauty and wellbeing students who are based there, but also for cross college and wider curriculum use. We will work on multi discipline developments of aspects of applied health to ensure that our students and external partners are jointly supporting key economic and social needs. The new centre will ensure that our students are fully prepared for whatever their futures may hold, having benefitted from these fantastic facilities.
“It also gives us a wonderful opportunity to engage with industry bodies and community groups, providing our students with experience of working with relevant contacts in their chosen field of study. For example in sport, we have already worked with Mountaineering Scotland, Netball Scotland, SportScotland Institute of Sport, Scottish Disability Sport and Futsal Scotland and plan that this network will grow as the centre's reputation and reach develops.
“As well as enhancing our students' employment prospects and enhancing knowledge exchange, this new facility will contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of our student and staff community with gym membership and wellbeing treatments and clinics available.
“Our Academy of Sport and Wellbeing helps place Perth firmly on the map as a university city."
Deputy First Minister John Swinney added: “I want every young person to reach their full potential and colleges have a crucial role to play in helping young people prepare for the world of work. The fantastic facilities on offer here at Perth College UHI’s Academy of Sport and Wellbeing will offer a range of learning and training opportunities that will help improve young people’s life chances.”
The Academy of Sport and Wellbeing provides learning and teaching space and impressive practical facilities. In addition to Sport and Fitness, Hairdressing, and Beauty Therapy courses, the Academy, which opened at the start of the current academic year, is home to Scotland's newest indoor Climbing Centre which boasts more than 90 different climbing routes to suit a range of abilities as well as a bouldering area.
The facilities include hair and beauty salons and treatment rooms, clinical skills clinic and the specialist facilities required to support the delivery of the sport and fitness curriculum with gym suites containing a range of cardiovascular and strength resistance equipment; dedicated weights lifting area; six court sports hall; and a fitness studio housing a "Queenax" multi-functional training rig.
Following the speeches, a number of children from the College Nursery and Goodlyburn Nursery entertained guests with a demonstration of baby netball.