KUALA LUMPUR, 24 January 2022 - The British Council and the British High Commission introduced a first of its kind “Sports Education Month”, in conjunction with the arrival of the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay in Malaysia.

Throughout January, academic scholarships, partnerships with higher education institutions, football coaching, and webinars have been lined up to raise public awareness on the importance of sports education. The initiative will forge international connections through mutually beneficial exchange and collaborations in sports education among youths, as well as  enhance equal representation of women in sports leadership. 

At the Queen’s Baton Relay reception, His Excellency Charles Hay, British High Commissioner to Malaysia said, “Birmingham 2022 is set to be the biggest, most diverse and inclusive Commonwealth Games yet held. As The Queen’s Baton goes around 72 countries and territories competing in the Games, baton bearers represent the communities and the baton relay represents the coming together of different communities across the Commonwealth. I participated in the Malaysian leg of this relay in Putrajaya yesterday, and found it truly inspiring to see Malaysians from all walks of life taking part in the relay.”   

 During the Sports Education Month, several activities have been lined up to draw public awareness about sports education, including: 

  • GREAT Scholarship 2021-22: Two sports focused scholarships worth a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year taught postgraduate course at Liverpool John Moores University. Those who are interested may apply before 31 March 2022 via this link.
  • UK-Malaysia Institutional Partnership Grant: A higher education partnership programme between UK and Malaysian tertiary education institutions to enhance sports education, specifically focusing on the development of female leadership. The grant of up to £30,000 will be awarded to a higher education institution from the West Midlands and would work in partnership with a Malaysian university on a joint initiative to strengthen gender equality in sports leadership through higher education.

 

  • Premier Skills Festival: In collaboration with the Bring the Opportunity Programme (BTOP) Academy, a social enterprise based in Kota Bharu and the Premier League, the British Council hosts coaching drills to help develop leadership, teamwork and confidence through football amongst vulnerable youths in Kelantan. 
  • Smart Talk Webinar Series: A unique opportunity for youths to interact and be inspired by the best of British and Malaysians athletes and sports industry professionals during hour-long sessions. This webinar series features Philip Lew, Sport Psychology Officer, of The National Sport Institute Malaysia; Junior Eldstal, National Football Player for Malaysia; Susannah Rodgers, Former National Paralympic Swimmer for the UK; and Thomas Brownlee, Lecturer in Applied Sport Sciences at the University of Birmingham. 

“Sports can be a positive catalyst to help change the lives of vulnerable communities. As the UK’s international cultural relations organisation, the British Council is stepping up its efforts to bridge the gap by igniting meaningful collaborations between British and Malaysian higher education institutions, sports professionals and associations. We hope the activities planned for the Sports Education Month will inspire the next generation of sporting champions,” said Jazreel Goh, Director Malaysia, British Council.
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