About the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences

Spanning four buildings and equipped with over 75 state-of-the-art specialist laboratories, our School is embedded in one of the most dynamic university sport ecosystems in the world. Our unique integration with Loughborough Sport turns the entire campus into a living laboratory – where elite-level facilities double as real-world environments for discovery, performance, and practice.

Here, high-performance sport, scholarly excellence, and applied research aren’t just connected – they’re inseparable. This synergy powers everything from elite athlete development to pioneering work in public health, shaping policy and practice on a national and international scale.

Sport, exercise and health aren’t simply areas of study at Loughborough – they’re the essence of who we are. Our students and staff work alongside top-level athletes, leading sport organisations, and innovative brands to redefine performance, enhance wellbeing, and create cutting-edge solutions – from kit design to community health initiatives. Our Sporting Excellence and Opportunity strategic plan sets out an ambitious vision – to harness the full power of our ecosystem, turning world-leading expertise into real-world impact. From shaping public health to influencing sport and government policy, we’re driving change where it matters most.

Recognised globally, we were ranked #1 in the world for sport-related subjects, named Sport University of the Year 2025 by The Times and The Daily Mail, and we continue to lead the way as #1 in the UK for Sports Science (The Guardian). Our excellence extends beyond sport – our Psychology and Biosciences programmes are consistently ranked in the UK’s top 20, showcasing our interdisciplinary strength.

Our origins in sport science, human sciences and teacher education has provided us with a solid foundation which we have built on and this is matched by our bold vision for the future. Over the past two decades, we’ve significantly grown our expertise into health and exercise, now home to large, collaborative research themes that span sport performance, public health, and human biology. In REF 2021, we submitted to Public Health for the first time in addition to Sport, Exercise and Tourism, underlining our expanding reach and relevance.

With more than 150 active research grants exceeding £20 million in value, our work is funded by a broad spectrum of partners – UKRI, Government bodies, EU programmes, charities, industry leaders and global sporting organisations. These connections fuel impactful research, real-world innovation, and outstanding opportunities for our students.

Our academic programmes are thriving. From undergraduate degrees grouped into the themes of Biosciences, Sport and Psychology to postgraduate pathways combining research and hands-on experience, we attract talented students across the board: 3,000 undergraduates, 700 masters students, and 250 research students – all immersed in an exceptional learning environment that prepares them for success in academia, industry, and beyond.

Now, we’re looking for a visionary Dean to lead us into our next chapter – someone who will build on our formidable legacy and help shape a bold future where academic excellence, global impact, and student opportunity continue to flourish.

Academic staff in SSEHS are drawn from a wide range of academic disciplines, including:

Equity, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of who we are. We’ve proudly held an Athena Swan Silver Award since 2012 – recognising our sustained commitment to creating a fair and supportive environment for all – and we’re aiming higher, with Gold firmly in our sights. Nearly half of our academic staff are women, and we take a proactive, lifecyclewide approach to identifying and removing barriers to success. Our people lead not only within their fields, but across the University and far beyond. Looking ahead, we’re determined to deepen our work to tackle inequalities – especially those experienced by staff and students with intersecting identities – ensuring every voice is heard and all have the opportunity to thrive.