Developing pathways for students and elite athletes
At Griffith University, we work closely with leading sport institutions, organisations, academies, and professional sporting teams to develop pathways for students and elite athletes.
Elite athletes from these organisations are supported while attending Griffith University, through assistance in course selection, entry pathways, exam and assignment deferrals and one-on-one mentoring from the dedicated Sports College staff.
Having these partnerships may also open the door for current students to be involved in internships, research opportunities and new avenues of learning.
Surfing Australia: Ian Luke
Surfing Australia: Dru Adler
Surfing Australia: James Lewis
GC Suns: Fiona McLarty
GC Suns: Aaron Duffy
GC Suns: Jarrod Witts
Surfing Australia: Paddle to Podium
Current partners
Swimming Australia
The new collaboration prioritises opportunities for athletes from grassroots to elite levels, advances in education and research as well as community-centric programs. Programs within the partnership are aligned with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy plan, emphasising inclusion and diversity, sustainability, and athlete well-being. Two swimming squads, training on the Gold Coast campus are open to current students and external athletes.
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast based National Rugby League (NRL) team, the Gold Coast Titans is one of several sporting organisations that value partnerships with universities. The partnership with the Titans includes student experiences via internships in a number of disciplines, sports science and sports medicine (SSSM) servicing, research and other engagement in specialist areas in high performance sport.
Surfing Australia
Griffith University has jumped on board with Surfing Australia to ride the wave of shaping the next generation of surfing talent. Griffith is the official university of the sport’s peak association body. The partnership provides Griffith students with the opportunity to gain industry experience through placements and internships across a range of disciplines. Griffith will also contribute value to Surfing Australia through high performance, sports research and innovation.
Griffith University Knights
Griffith University Colleges Rugby Union Club is the largest senior club on the Gold Coast playing in The Gold Coast Premier Competition. Catering for all ages and skill levels.
Queensland Thunder Water Polo
Queensland Thunder, the only QLD based team have been part of the Australian Water polo League since 2018 and won the women's Australian League in 2022 and 2023. The partnership allows players to use facilities to train, research opportunities for Griffith academics, plus student engagement and support for university students in both the women's and men's Thunder squads.
Easts Rugby Union Club
Easts Tigers Rugby Union Club, offers programs for seniors, juniors, in both men's and women's rugby, and is known for its community involvement and competitive spirit. The club emphasizes development and engagement at all levels, from youth to premier grade rugby. The Griffith University partnership includes scholarships, student work experience and research opportunities.
Queensland Academy of Sport
Griffith fosters a strong and important alliance with the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), engaging the Centre of Excellence for Applied Sports Science Research through project, research affiliates and scholarship support.Griffith's alliance with the QAS encompasses our four academic groups (Arts, Education and Law; Business; Health; Sciences) that undertake focused, innovative and integrated research fundamental to a successful high-performance sport system and elite athletic performance.
VALD Performance
Vald is a cutting-edge sports technology company dedicated to enhancing athlete performance, specializing in innovative solutions for movement assessment and performance monitoring. Griffith University's engagement with Vald demonstrates a dynamic collaboration at the intersection of academia and sports technology. This partnership fosters research, innovation, and knowledge exchange, allowing the integration of Vald Performance's cutting-edge tools into sports science programs.
Southport Sharks
The Southport Sharks are a prominent AFL club on the Gold Coast, competing in the VFL. They have a successful history with multiple premierships and a strong community focus​. Griffith partnership includes student placements, collaborative research, and shared expertise in sports science, driving innovation and excellence both on and off the field.
High performance programs
Griffith is home to a number of high performance sport programs.