New AFEC School Announcement

World Academy of Sport (WAoS) is delighted to announce that Setanta College, Ireland, is now an accredited Athlete Friendly Education Centre. Setanta College is the first higher/tertiary institution that has been accredited as an AFEC. They join a global network of like-minded schools and institutions committed to providing flexible learning pathways and specialised services to student-athletes.

Setanta College is an internationally renowned provider of higher education in human performance and sports science. Headquartered in Ireland, Setanta College also operates campus locations in the UK, USA, South Africa and India and is led by an Advisory Board and lecturing faculty highly experienced in elite-level sport. Setanta College is committed to providing their students with a progressive learning experience that leads to a greater specialised knowledge, understanding and practical competence in strength and conditioning, sport, exercise and performance science. With flexible learning options available, their athletes can further their education to suit their own schedule while continuing to focus on their performance.

The importance of supporting student-athletes in higher/tertiary institutions was highlighted by Olympian AFEC Assessor, Joslyn Hoyte-Smith who was part of the visit to Setanta College:

‘There has never been a better time for a college to demonstrate the depth of their expertise in offering services to student-athletes. The acknowledgement of what support is required to give the students the best possible chance to succeed in sport and education is prominent throughout the delivery. All the staff had a great attitude and  the students embraced the support they received and had a sense of pride in their achievements.’

Clíona Sheehy, from Setanta College, shared her thoughts on the school’s experience of going through the AFEC accreditation process:

‘Setanta College is delighted to become the first Higher Education Institute to join the AFEC network. Throughout our history, we have placed a great emphasis on supporting the academic development of athletes as they pursue their sporting dreams. The accreditation process was flawless and the support from WAoS was very clear, organized, and helpful from the very beginning. It was a great opportunity to hear the unique perspective of Olympic athletes including Heather Fell, Joslyn Hoyte-Smith, and Myriam Baverel, as they have a clear understanding of the balancing act between furthering their education and maintaining an athletic career. We look forward to working with the AFEC network to continue improving and evolving our educational experience and providing the highest level of support to our student-athletes and coaches,’

The assessment visit demonstrated how positive the student-athlete experience is at Setanta College as described by Heather Fell OLY:

‘Setanta College understands the demands and challenges faced by student-athletes and has developed a comprehensive system of support. The college enables the student-athletes to excel in both their academic and sporting endeavours. The team in place at Setanta shows flexibility and most importantly a deep understanding of what it takes to be an athlete at an elite level whilst studying on one of their prestigious courses.’

The WAoS Assessment team enjoyed the opportunity to visit Setanta College. Myriam Baverel OLY, Olympian AFEC Assessor, describes her overall impression of the assessment:

‘The whole team at Setanta College demonstrated an open and transversal communication at all levels, which is important in relation to the AFEC accreditation. The direct and regular involvement of stakeholders assists the college in maintaining excellence and high performance in services to student-athletes. Setanta College embodies AFEC perfectly.’

The team at WAoS is looking forward to working with Setanta College as an accredited AFEC in order to further enhance the already high quality of their programmes to its student-athletes and provide even further opportunities in the near future.

8 June 2021

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