Past event
Saints Talk: Stephen Stewart Ever to Excel: People, place and innovation in building sporting success
Join Development colleagues for the next instalment of the Saints Talk series with Stephen Stewart MBE, ‘Ever to Excel: people, place and innovation in building sporting success'.
In his presentation, Stephen, Director of Sport, will reflect on St Andrews' sporting journey, from the first sports centre built in 1968 to the £20 million redevelopment completed in 2018, and the ongoing investment driving excellence today. He will explore why sport matters: for health, wellbeing, student experience, academic attainment, and the University's global reputation. Stephen will also introduce the Saints Sport Strategy 2025-2028, which sets ambitious goals for Performance Sport, Club Sport, Active Health, and Student Development.
Stephen will celebrate team and individual achievements, highlight innovative initiatives such as the GB Performance Development Beach Sprints Academy, Olympic Training Centre, and St Andrews Links Collegiate, and showcase services supporting active health, children's sport, volunteering, and leadership. He will also discuss funding challenges, emphasising the vital role of commercial and philanthropic support in sustaining Saints Sport's success, and talk about how you can help ensure St Andrews continues to excel in sport for generations to come.
Stephen was recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2022 for outstanding services to sport. A passionate advocate for inclusivity and the transformative power of sport, he has dedicated his career to using sport, volunteering and education to uplift disadvantaged communities.
He began his career in 1992 as a Leisure Centre Manager in Northern Ireland before serving as Deputy Director of Sport at Loughborough University (1998-2008). Since joining St Andrews in 2008, he has led major advances in sport provision and facilities.
A founding member of the Wallace Group, a coalition of seven UK universities promoting sport and health education in developing countries, Stephen has played a leading role in the Volunteer Zambia project, which celebrates 20 years of partnership with the Zambian NGO Sport In Action in 2025. The programme fosters collaboration between UK student volunteers, Zambian community leaders and national sports bodies to build sustainable Community Sport Hubs across Zambia.
Following the talk, attendees can ask Stephen questions in a live question and answer (Q&A) session.