The University of Wolverhampton has been officially awarded Elite Training Centre accreditation by UK Sport, marking its Walsall Campus as a national hub of excellence for athletes.
Announced on 24 April 2026, this recognition places the university among only three higher education institutions in the UK to receive the designation, joining Loughborough University and the University of Bath. The accreditation focuses specifically on the university’s Judo Centre, which already serves as the British Judo Association Olympic and Paralympic National Training Centre.
The university underwent an 18-month assessment process to achieve this status, which included a self-evaluation, improvement planning, and an in-depth peer review. Ross Cloak, an associate professor of sport and exercise who led the process, noted that the achievement reflects the dedication and ambition of everyone involved in the centre. He stated that the university is proud to contribute to the national landscape of elite sport and to support athletes in reaching their full potential.
Dr Kate Baker, a director at UK Sport, attended the accreditation ceremony and highlighted that such centres are at the heart of the national high-performance system. The partnership between the university and British Judo has been developing for over a decade, starting when the university was first named the British Judo Centre of Excellence for England in 2013. The campus also hosts the national governing body’s head office and its performance team.
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