Issa Batrane took a few minutes to tell us how he is pursuing his academic and sporting ambitions whilst studying BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology and how the Sports Scholarship helped.

BU was an easy choice for me. The first reason was because the placement opportunities that my course provided were better than the other 4 universities that wanted to recruit me but also Bournemouth was the central location for Beach Volleyball (as the England Head Coach is based in Bournemouth). I was fortunate enough to hear about the BU Sport Scholarship  through some past sports scholars who were still apart of the Senior England Beach Volleyball Pathway and had studied at BU and to this day I am so pleased I heard about it!

The funding support I have received throughout my time at BU has helped me so much. Beach Volleyball doesn’t get much funding support from our national governing body post the 2012 Olympic Games so without it, I really wouldn’t have been able to be where I am today. All the funding received from my BU Sports Scholarship along with external sponsors has helped fund my training and competitions in order to go out and excel in my sport.

My future ambitions are to compete in a major games for Team England and Team GB at the highest senior level in my sport, and with the help BU has provided, I am getting  closer to this goal year by year. It is really something that can’t be summed up in words but instead only shown in my progress and development. Whatever your goals, whatever your aspirations, BU can help you reach yours.