Opportunity

1. The Federation of University Sports of China and the British Council are now seeking two university 7-a-side rugby teams (one men’s team and one women’s team) to participate in the “UK-China University Sports Week” exchange programme in September 2018 in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province in central China.
   

   The teams can come from the same or different UK institutions. Each team is expected to consist of no more than 20 people, including coaches and support staff. In the one-week-long exchange programme, the two teams will participate in activities including two or three friendly rugby matches with teams from Chinese universities, as well as networking activities with Chinese students and cultural visits. The UK teams will need to cover their own cost for visas, travel insurance and international flights from the UK to Xi’an. The Federation of University Sports of China will cover costs for accommodation, catering, local transportation, training, matches and visit programmes throughout the week. 

2. The Federation of University Sports of China and the British Council are also seeking one UK institution to host a visit in August 2018 by two Chinese university 7-a-side rugby teams (one men’s and one women’s). The entire delegation will consist of no more than 30 people. The UK hosting institution is expected to plan and manage a five-day-long-programme (arrival and departure day excluded) of activities such as friendly matches with host teams, training, networking activities with local students and cultural visits.

   The Federation of University Sports of China will cover the cost for the teams’ visas, travel insurance, international flights, accommodation and meals in the UK. The hosting UK university is expected to cover any cost incurred from running the visit programme, such as venue costs for training and friendly matches, domestic transportation and tickets for cultural visits, etc. 

Applications for the above two opportunities will be considered separately. Universities can choose to apply for both opportunities or either one of them.

Benefits

• Position your university as a leading institution in UK-China sports education exchange
• Build relationships with the Federation of University Sports of China, the solely authorised national university sport development organisation under the Ministry of Education
• Build relationships with Chinese universities with strength in sports and sports education
• Raise you universities brand profile in China amid a rapid rise and popularisation of the sport of rugby in the country - the rugby-themed exchange will draw attention from Chinese sports authorities, media and the general public
• Provide your students and staff with an unforgettable experience that allows them to meet new friends, compete and learn from each other on the pitch, and build an in-depth understanding of China and Chinese young people.

About the “UK-China University Sports Week”

The “UK-China University Sports Week” initiative was agreed as an education outcome of the UK-China High Level People-to-People Dialogue: a key pillar in the UK-China relationship, celebrating links between the two peoples through culture, education, tourism and sport.

The joint initiative was developed in 2015 by the Federation of University Sports of China and the British Council. The initiative aims to deepen and expand collaborations and exchanges between the two countries in the field of university sport.

Since 2015, three men’s and three women’s university rugby teams from the UK have participated in the “University Sports Week” respectively in Beijing (2015), Xiamen (2016) and Zhuhai (2017).

About the Federation of University Sports of China

The Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC) was founded in 1975 under the administration of China’s Ministry of Education. Being a member of the All-China Sports Federation (ACSF), Asian University Sports Federation (AUSF) and International University Sports Federation (FISU), FUSC is the solely authorised national organisation for university sport.

The main roles of the FUSC are promoting participation of sport among university students in China; organising national university sports events; promoting exchanges with university sports associations all over the world; and assisting China’s participation in international university sports events and exchanges.