We are so proud to have been an Official Partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (B2022). It was the most incredible journey for our staff, students, city, and partners, both in the run up to, and during the Games. We are so pleased to have played such an active role in the largest sporting event the West Midlands has ever seen.
Our role
- Host of the Largest Athletes’ Village
- Official Host of Hockey and Squash
- Home to the most comprehensive University partnership the Games has ever seen
Using our existing infrastructure helped to make it the most sustainable Games yet, and that is a legacy we are incredibly proud of. Here’s a summary of our time during the Games and the highlights from our Game-Changing Birmingham campaign.
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and the University of Birmingham
Game-changing people
- 500+ students, staff and alumni volunteered during the Games
- 20 UoB batonbearers brought the Queen’s baton home and shared their inspiring stories, from setting up the UK's first addiction recovery centre, to inspiring young people to break down barriers
- 155 students and staff volunteered for the Games, and 500 students helped to look after 3,500 athletes and officials on campus
- More than 2500 staff and contractors were accredited
Game-changing research
As a World 100 University, our research has a game-changing impact on the world we live in, and we’re marking this as part of our partnership with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
We shared research in our three exclusive research alignments to the Games: global challenges, health and life sciences and energy and environmental sciences.
Environmental scientist Professor Francis Pope advised on hi-tech ‘lungs’ for the Baton to measure air quality, and the baton was produced by UoB alumni at Raymont-Osmon Product Design.
We were an official partner of the Queen’s Baton Relay; when the ceremonial Queen’s Baton travels through Commonwealth nations and territories in the run-up to the Games. We visited all 72 nations, celebrating our global community of staff, students and alumni by sharing their unique stories and experiences.
Game-changing sport
We are home to one of the top-rated sport science departments in the UK and were the first University in the UK to offer a degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences. We are so proud of our community’s achievements during the Games:
20 UoB students and alumni competed at B2022, and we are so proud of what they achieved with 12 medals won.
Also in 'Our University'