Track record recognised for backing student athletes
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has endorsed CQUniversity’s track record for supporting elite athletes, coaches and sports professionals to study, welcoming the regional Queensland institution to its Elite Sport Education Network (ESEN).
The inclusion is a win for regional Queensland, as young athletes around the state aim to compete in front of a home crowd at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
CQUniversity is the latest bronze-tier member of the network, with the AIS recognising its flexible study offering for students who balance elite competition with study.
The ESEN partners with universities and TAFEs to deliver flexible and holistic support for elite sportspeople, coaches and performance staff, as they pursue higher education and training.
Professor Fabio Serpiello is CQUniversity’s Director of Sport Strategy, and a member of the ESEN Advisory Group alongside leaders from Rowing Australia, UniSport Australia, the AFL and educational institutions including QUT and TAFE QLD.
“CQUniversity is proud to support elite athletes and emerging sports leaders, across a wide range of disciplines, and right across our national footprint,” Prof Serpiello said.
“As we strive to be Australia’s most inclusive university, our educators and staff understand how vital flexibility and tailored support can be, for elite athletes, and for all of our students.”
Earlier this year, CQUniversity launched its SPORT Strategy 2025-2028, to grow sporting participation, passion and knowledge across regional communities and into peak performance.
Current CQUniversity students competing at an elite level include Olympic swimmer Ella Ramsay, who is in her second year of the Bachelor of Psychological Science degree.
In 2024, Ella earned an AIS Athlete Education Scholarship to support her studies, ahead of competing at the Paris Olympics.
Other Australian athletes to juggle CQU study with competition include:
- Bundaberg Olympian Taryn Gollshewsky (athletics) who graduated with her Bachelor of Exercise Science and Master of Teaching (Primary)
- Rockhampton Paralympian and Tokyo silver medallist Joel Coughlan (table tennis) who qualified with his Cert IV in Work Health and Safety
- Sydney wheelchair athlete Aimee Fisher, who graduated with her Bachelor of Medical Sonography.
Find out more about the ESEN and scholarship opportunities available at the Australian Sports Commission website.
CQUniversity is a leading university in SPORT (Sport and exercise, Physical activity, Occupational and Rehabilitation Therapies), and its SPORT Strategy 2025-2028 commits to collaboration with grassroots, government and industry partners for high performance and community engagement outcomes.
Recently, CQUniversity researchers worked with the AIS and Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) and athletes themselves, to develop the Parenthood Recommendations, best-practice approach to support athletes from preconception through to parenthood.
Learn more at the SPORT at CQUniversity website.
