Interview: Pro Vice-Chancellor Bhaskar Vira on the modernisation of Cambridge Sport

What is your role at the University of Cambridge, and how does it relate to sport?
As Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Environmental Sustainability, I also chair the University's Sports Committee. I quickly realised I could use that to describe myself as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Sport—a title I was very happy to make my own.

Do you have a sporting background yourself?
I was a student here at Cambridge, and though I never played for the University, I played a lot of College sport, particularly hockey and cricket. Growing up in India at a school with extensive sporting traditions, being on the sports field was a natural part of my childhood. I feel strongly that physical fitness and playing sport are vital for young people. I peaked at College sport, but having the opportunity to play at your own level is what matters. I want to ensure we continue offering that benefit to our students.

Which was your College?
I tried to avoid naming it, but I was at St John’s! It has a very rich sporting tradition and was right at the top of the sports leagues at the time, so there were endless opportunities to participate.

Have sporting opportunities at Cambridge grown since then?
They have grown, but we are finding that many new students haven't had as much opportunity to play sport at school as they might have had historically. Many state schools lack sports fields, so unless students join a local club, they miss out. Consequently, many undergraduates arrive at 18 having had little exposure to sport during their secondary school years. We want to reintroduce them to the joy of being outside, playing a sport, and working as a team. We are putting a great deal of effort into encouraging people to "have a go" and experience the physical and mental benefits that come with it.

What is the best thing about sport at Cambridge?
The ability to play at so many different levels. On one hand, we have elite performance athletes competing internationally; on the other, we have students who have never kicked a ball playing for the first time and enjoying being part of a team. Catering to that entire spectrum is crucial. Focusing solely on elite sport would exclude the majority, while focusing only on mass participation would mean missing the inspiration of top-level success. Bringing both together makes Cambridge unique. We also have amongst the highest density of sports facilities in the world—between the Colleges and the University Sports Centre—all serving a student population of just over 20,000.

Do the compressed, eight-week terms prove a barrier to sport?
Time is our biggest constraint. Undergraduates must fit in a huge amount of academic work to meet our rigorous standards. It is actually very deliberate that the PVC for Education also holds responsibility for sport. Having someone who oversees academic provision saying "sport matters" makes a huge difference, because people often assume a trade-off between academic performance and time on the sports field.

How do you resolve that apparent conflict?
The evidence shows that academic work and sport are complementary. Getting outside and playing sport actually makes you better at your studies. Yes, there is immense pressure on our students, but creating space for physical activity benefits their physical health, mental health, and educational attainment simultaneously.

What else do students gain from engaging with sport?
Beyond the physical benefits, sport provides a profound sense of community that lasts for generations. Alumni frequently recall their sports team as one of the highlights of their Cambridge experience. Sport also teaches you how to lose. Learning to pick yourself up after a defeat, return to training, and approach the next match with a positive attitude builds resilience. Learning to cope with failure on the field equips you to deal with challenges throughout the rest of your life.

What does the ideal future for Cambridge Sport look like?
Beyond access to facilities, we are seeing a real affordability gap—even the cost of kit can deter students from participating. Our goal is to make sport affordable, accessible, and appropriately challenging for everyone. Whether a student wants to represent the University at the highest level or simply play football with friends on the weekend, the pathways and facilities must be there for them.

What message would you like to share with Cambridge alumni?
When I was a student in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Cambridge sport was a far more amateur operation. We didn't have a University Sports Service, dedicated committee oversight, or formal safety protocols and trained coaches. It was a simpler time, but sport largely ran itself.

Today, we have professionalised Cambridge sport. Supporting 77 student clubs requires a robust infrastructure, and the transformation has been immense. I encourage our alumni to return and see how the landscape has evolved. We have upgraded facilities, expanded our provisions, and built ambitious plans for the future. I would love to connect with alumni who are actively promoting or participating in sport in their own fields to discuss where we are heading.

Finally, what sporting events are you excited about this term?
Michaelmas term is all about building up. Many of the major Varsity matches against Oxford have shifted in the calendar to Lent term. October brings a new intake of students who go straight into pre-season and team trials, so Michaelmas is about consolidating teams for inter-university competitions. Intercollegiate sports and the Cuppers tournaments are already underway, which is fantastic to watch. Additionally, football has returned to the Grange Road Sports Ground as the new home for Cambridge United Women’s Football Club, and I have really enjoyed watching their matches there.