03 March 2025
It’s the multi-million-dollar sports complex, 15 years in the planning and two years to build, but today the UniSA Sport Science Hub opens its doors to its first cohort of university students ready to engage in its world-class teaching and research facilities at South Australia’s new sports precinct.
Created in partnership with the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) and the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing, the UniSA Sports Science Hub is the only facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and only the second in the world.
The Hub is designed to deliver industry-embedded specialist sports science education, greater research opportunities, and cutting-edge solutions for industry, so that all students have authentic learning experiences, scope to engage with leading industry staff and elite athletes, and a career-ready education.
Its state-of-the-art facilities feature:
- A biomechanics lab with a VICON motion capture system and force plates that measure movement patterns and show how changes in force production can benefit athletic performance.
- An environmental chamber that can simulate humidity, altitude (0 – 5000m above sea level) and temperatures extremes (from -11 to 45°C) to track how body the responds to different environments.
- Exercise physiology teaching laboratories housing exercise testing equipment for physiology classes and work integrated learning (plus a BodPod for safely measuring body composition).
- An exercise research lab for high performance, intensive exercise research.
- An exercise teaching space, housing exercise and resistance training equipment, a 20-metre running track, and an impact wall to train students how to prescribe and deliver exercise training and testing.
- Collaborative, flexible teaching spaces to accommodate large and small student groups.
Professor Jon Buckley, Executive Dean of UniSA’s Allied Health and Human Performance Unit, says the new Sports Science Hub will provide multiple benefits for students, researchers, SASI, and the State.
“UniSA and SASI have had a long-standing relationship for more than 20 years,” Prof Buckley says.
“The new UniSA Sports Science Hub solidifies this, bringing together our world-leading teaching and research capabilities in exercise and sports science, with SASI’s expertise in preparing high-performance athletes, to highlight a partnership that is truly unique.
“For our students, the new facilities will provide a genuine and authentic learning experience, where they’ll be able to interact with SASI staff and athletes as part of their learning, even undertaking analysis and training with data that’s being used by staff at SASI. So, they’ll get very industry-relevant training and exposure to the exercise and sports science sector before they graduate.
“For our researchers, the first-class technology and equipment will both further their research capabilities, and research opportunities with SASI and the broader business sector.
“Our world-class research equipment and facilities – which include a biomechanics lab, an environmental chamber and a range of specialised research spaces – means that our researchers can deliver exercise and sports science knowledge that can be fed back to SASI to help them better prepare their high-performance athletes to perform at their best.
“Ultimately, our collaboration highlights the integral role that sport plays in Australian society and culture.
“We’re supporting South Australia’s premier athletes, educating the next generation of sports and exercise experts, and generating new research opportunities, which together loop back to create significant social and economic benefits for the State.”
Notes for editors:
- Community Open Day: On Sunday 30 March, UniSA’s new Sports Science Hub will be open and on display with the SASI facilities. The event will feature live demonstrations of the SASI building in use, panel discussions, athlete 'meet and greets', self-guided tours, sport and recreation activities, food trucks, music, and giveaways. See: https://www.sasi.sa.gov.au
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Contact for interview: Prof Jon Buckley E: Jon.Buckely@unisa.edu.au
Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au
