New Delhi, India, 22 January 2024: In a significant stride towards nurturing budding cricket talent in India, the University of Canberra (UC) – one of the world’s top universities for reducing inequalities – and Cricket ACT, the peak body for the sport in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), have formally signed an agreement to provide in-school programs, tailored to enhance the skills of aspiring young cricket players across the nation.
University of Canberra Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lucy Johnston, and Cricket ACT CEO, Olivia Thornton, formally signed the agreement today at the Jamia Millia Islamia University Ground in New Delhi, with ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA in attendance as part of the Chief Minister's Trade Delegation to India.
The establishment of the annual flagship UC India Cricket Cup is an important pillar of the agreement. This seven-day cricket carnival will include training camps and sessions; the best and brightest young talent from schools across India will be invited to participate.
The partnership aims to bring an international perspective to cricket education in India, levelling the playing field especially for girls and women in cricket, and creating opportunities for cultural exchange.
The engagement activities run by the University of Canberra and Cricket ACT are part of a wider collaborative arrangement that includes:
- Sponsorships;
- Work integrated learning opportunities that provide students with practical industry experience;
- Opportunities for collaborative research with industry partners; and
- “Study and play” pathways for Indian students in Canberra.
The partnership also includes a cultural exchange program, providing an opportunity for selected students to visit Canberra – home to the University of Canberra, Cricket ACT, and other iconic institutions like the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) – where they will get to experience local sporting culture. In India, the partnership will bring tailored teaching and coaching development sessions; training and playing tours for students; staff development programs for school sport coaches to support them in spotting talent early on; and more.
Quote attributable to Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA:
“Canberra has a strong history of cricketing excellence, and Australia’s highest participation rate in the sport.
“This partnership, including the UC India Cricket Cup will promote Canberra as a great place to study, live, and play, and it will deepen the sporting, cultural, and economic connections between the ACT and India.
“Canberra is a welcoming, inclusive, and multicultural city, and I hope this partnership encourages more Indian students to pursue their studies in Canberra, Australia’s education capital.”
Quote attributable to Professor Lucy Johnston, Interim Vice-Chancellor, University of Canberra:
“Sport is an integral part of the University of Canberra’s culture – we have a vision of becoming one of Australia's leading universities for sport.
“The University’s Sport Strategy focuses our attention towards gender equality in sport, sport integrity, and building a culture of wellness in Canberra. With cricket deeply entrenched in the sporting scenes of both India and Australia, this is a great opportunity to engage in this shared passion. We hope this initiative will help to empower young cricketers in India with the aptitude needed to excel both on and off the field, ultimately contributing to India’s amazing cricketing legacy on the global stage.
“The UC India Cricket Cup, in collaboration with Cricket ACT, will bring some intensive training camps and information sessions to partner schools, making it easier to identify and nurture talent and to explore pathways to university study at UC in Canberra.”
Quote attributable to Olivia Thornton, CEO, Cricket ACT:
“Cricket ACT is so pleased to be entering this significant partnership with the University of Canberra, a unique collaboration that will build educational and sporting capability within India, with an emphasis on Women’s Cricket, and will seek to attract and retain international students.
“We also believe the research element of this partnership presents a substantial opportunity. Of all academic research undertaken in high performance sport and sport science internationally, the amount of that research focussed specifically on female athletes is reportedly as low as six per cent. We are committed to helping to facilitate research opportunities through this partnership.
“We’re really excited about the UC India Cricket Cup, a carnival based on a tournament we’ve run in the ACT for many years, and we think this can be a great start for a partnership that will bring ongoing benefits to both UC and Cricket ACT, while also presenting Canberra as an attractive place to study, play, live and work.”