The three-day conference, which runs from September 9^th – 11^th, this year focuses on sport and activity in a post-Covid-19 world, aptly titled: ‘Getting Back On Track: Moving forward from COVID-19 with sports performance, physical activity, health and wellbeing’.

Taking place virtually via Zoom, the ISPAR conference – now in its fifth year – will feature over twenty guest speakers, presentations and keynote addresses from top Bedfordshire academics and industry leaders across a range of fields.

Professor Angel Chater, Director of ISPAR and Professor of Health Psychology and Behaviour Change, said: “Covid-19 has brought with it many challenges, both in terms of our team’s ability to conduct research and the need to move swiftly to digital platforms.

“But that hasn’t stopped us! We are looking forward to sharing our work in public health and long-term conditions, physical education and sports performance, and learning how our speakers have adapted during the pandemic.”

Contributors at the conference come from a host of different subject areas, including a consultant oncologist, a primary PE coordinator, the Head of Academy Science at Leicester City Football Club, and academics from Cambridge and Loughborough universities – not to mention University of Bedfordshire’s own in-house experts at the Institute for Sports and Physical Activity Research.

I couldn’t be prouder of our staff and postgraduate students who are leading on cutting edge research.” Dr Angel Chater

Work from current and recently graduated Postgraduate research students will also be showcased, highlighting the ground-breaking research carried out by the research centre at our multi-million pound PE and Sports Science Centre at the Bedford campus.

Dr Chater said: “I have had the pleasure of working with an excellent PhD student, Jane Williams on a project very close to my heart that will be presented at the conference. It will focus on the role that physical activity plays in the lives of those who have experienced a bereavement. Jane has made a significant contribution to the research evidence in this area.

“On a personal note, I couldn’t be prouder of our staff and postgraduate students who are leading on cutting edge research.”

Each day of the conference has a specific ‘getting back on track’ theme which the multi-discipline speakers and keynotes will address. The full conference programme can be accessed here.

Day one (9^th September) focuses on ‘physical activity and behaviour change for the benefit of long-term conditions and psychological well-being’, whilst day two (10^th September) covers ‘distanced physical activity and physical education: pedagogy, relationships and sense of belonging’.

The final day (11^th September) of the conference reflects on ‘the lessons learned and the plans for Sport’s return to a new normal’.

Attendees can register here to attend all three days or for a specific day based on their particular area of interest.

The Institute for Sport and Physical Activity Research is part of the University of Bedfordshire’s School of Sport Science and Physical Activity, which hosts a number of courses available at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate level, including Sport Science and Coaching, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Behaviour Change and Clinical Exercise Therapy.

Visit the School’s webpage for further information:

https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/departments/sspa/