#40 University of Strathcylde

The University of Strathclyde’s campus is located in the vibrant city centre of Glasgow, a mere 15-minute walk away from the boathouses on the river Clyde. Thanks to the university’s £1 billion investment programme, many buildings are newly completed and state-of-the-art. Academically, Strathclyde stands out as the only university to have won the prestigious Times Higher Education University of the Year award twice, and has recently also been named Scottish University of the Year 2020 by the Good University Guide. It is a QS 5-star rated University, and home to one of only 100 business schools worldwide to be triple accredited. The Complete University Guide for 2021 ranked it first in the UK for 3 subjects and top 10 in 20 further subjects.

The university is split into four faculties: Engineering, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Business School. The engineering faculty is one of the largest and best-equipped in the entire UK and enjoys a great reputation for its research, high quality teaching, and close ties to industry. The faculty of humanities and social sciences sees a stunning five of its programmes ranked top-15 in the UK by the Good University Guide, these include: Education, Politics, Law, and Social Work. Similarly, the faculty of Sciences has 5 degrees ranked in the top-10 UK-wide, and is ranked 1st for subjects allied to Medicine. Finally, the Business School is one of the best in the UK, having won the Business School of the Year title from the Times Higher Education Awards in 2016, it is renowned for its programmes’ close integration with the industry.

Operating out of their boat shed in the heart of Glasgow Green, Strathclyde University Boat Club is one of Scotland’s most vibrant and tight-knit rowing clubs available to students. The club welcomes everyone, from those who have rowed for years previously to those who want to take up a new sport. The club has a very strong social scene as a result of hosting regular socials, including their annual Christmas dinner and the highly-anticipated Barony Cup. Everyone is accommodated at SUBC, from those who simply want to enjoy the sport of rowing, to those wanting to train and compete at the highest levels.

Strathclyde University Boat Club offers a mixture of sweep-rowing and sculling. The club has the equipment necessary to allow for both disciplines to be integrated within their training sessions as well as racing. Squad captains will take into consideration the experience and ability of their squad members before organising a rowing/sculling session - this allows for safe and productive training. SUBC runs their rowing sessions at the weekend and they also run training sessions throughout the week that anyone can join in with. The sessions during the week are often arranged at times that accommodate everyone’s timetable.

The club is open to students at any stage of their studies, this includes postgraduate students interested in picking up or revisiting the sport of rowing. The club’s socials, training sessions and races are open to all students at the University of Strathclyde, regardless of age, rowing ability or your stage of study.

SUBC has multiple internal and external coaches available to them who provide their expertise to benefit the squads. This includes two qualified Level 2 coaches. There are experienced captains for all four of the club’s squads (Senior Men, Senior Women, Novice Men and Novice Women) who take on the role of organising training sessions.

Strathclyde University Boat Club hosts ‘come and try’ sessions at the start of every academic year so that freshers can get to know their club members and have a taste of the sport itself. With the help of their current members and squad captains, the club teaches those with little or no rowing experience how to handle equipment safely and, of course, how to row. For those who already have rowing experience, the appropriate squad captains can incorporate them into regular training sessions, both on and off the water. Squad meetings are put in place to allow members to discuss their goals - competitive or recreational - with their squad captains and how to best achieve them.

• Multiple SUBC members achieved gold medal wins at the 2019 Home International Regatta, contributing to the Scottish team that won for the 1st time in 10 years. As well as this, they have had at least three of their members attend HIR in the last four years.

• Gold medal win at the 2019 BUCS Regatta for the Men’s Beginner Single, along with progressing to Championship finals in both heavy and lightweight singles events. Here Strathclyde University Boat Club were considered to be in the top 10 universities for sculling.

• Regular podium placements at the Scottish championships, including a gold medal win in both the Men’s Open Pair and Open Single in 2018, as well as the Double in 2016. The club has also had multiple podium placements in the Men’s Lightweight Single.

• The club has seen a number of their boats qualify for the Prince Albert and Double Sculls Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. SUBC alumni have also gone on to compete and win events at Henley Royal Regatta.

• The club has had members from their men’s and women’s squad compete and perform at the Head of the River Race (HoRR) at Tideway on multiple occasions. Our best results include 55th for one of our Men’s 8+.

• SUBC’s boat shed is based in the heart of Glasgow Green, directly next to the River Clyde; this allows for easy access to the area where they launch and land their boats.

• Newly built state-of-the-art gym located in the heart of the university’s campus.

• The university’s StrathSports facility allows access to a fully-equipped gym, a swimming pool with a sauna and steam room, and also various fitness classes that are run on a daily basis. All of the facilities used by SUBC members are within walking distance of each other.

• The fleet at SUBC has a wide variety of boats ranging from singles to eights, catering to all skill levels. Due to the fact that the club has boats suitable for all sweep-rowing and sculling disciplines, they have been able to race and win events at championship level.

• SUBC also has partnerships with other Glasgow-based clubs so that their athletes looking to perform at the next level are able to access the necessary facilities to enable this.