It allows us to tell stories about exceeding human physical capabilities but also about ethics and economics, race and gender, science and technology, joy and camaraderie, and nearly everything in between.

And most importantly, beyond offering amazing health and fitness benefits, sport has an unmatched ability to bring people together - as evidenced by the smiles on people's faces anytime our UOW Global Brand Ambassador and Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist enters a room.

I believe it's fair to say sport is one of the best social connectors. And this connection is essential in a post-pandemic world, which left many people isolated and detached from each other.

For Australians, sport is a form of public diplomacy, showcasing our beautiful country and its values - mateship, love of the outdoors, egalitarianism, and informality. In a way, sport forms a part of our collective DNA.

So, when last year, the University of Wollongong (UOW) signed an agreement with Destination Wollongong to become an official UCI Bike City community partner, we weren't interested in a one-off show of sporting engagement.

Instead, we wanted to start building a legacy - for UOW as an institution and for our region, moving the image of the Illawarra away from heavy industry and towards the role of a ground breaker in healthy lifestyles, sustainable transport, and clean energy solutions.

The South Coast is an ideal hub for sport and sporting activities, with its stunning natural environment, abundance of outdoor spaces and thriving sporting culture.

Our university's commitment to sport is enshrined in the Act of Incorporation, which obliges UOW not only to teach and research but also to provide "cultural, sporting, professional, technical and vocational services" to our communities.

And we have been delivering on this promise. Sport has always been a central feature of our university. Over 500,000 visitors use our sporting facilities annually.

UOW has sporting education and research partnerships with many revered professional clubs - St George Illawarra Dragons, Illawarra Hawks, Tottenham Hotspur, and the Crusaders.

We teach several sport-related degrees and boast a rich sport-related body of research, from promoting the benefits of physical activity for children and exploring a relationship between sport and mental health to pioneering multidisciplinary surf engineering.

These efforts see Sport Studies at UOW ranked in the top 100 in the world in the 2022 QS World University Rankings.

We've now gathered all these values - respect, empowerment, diversity and the pursuit of excellence - and placed them in our university's new roadmap document, UOW Sports Strategy 2023-2028.

In it, we aim to weave together all facets of sport - sports-related teaching and research, as well as our local sporting partnerships and coaching opportunities for students - with the primary goal of improving the health and wellbeing of UOW's diverse communities.

The power engine behind the implementation of our new strategy is Professor Marc in het Panhuis as the inaugural UOW Dean of Sport.

During his 16-year career at the University, Professor in het Panhuis has been the catalyst for UOW's Surf Flex Lab, an innovative research laboratory at the intersection of sport and science that's already making waves in the world of surf engineering.

Run by surfers, for surfers, the Surf Flex Lab perfectly links an Australian reverence for the ocean and UOW's pledge towards sustainability.

It focuses on maximising the performance and enjoyment of water sports while creating sustainable and long-lasting surf equipment.

So far, the surfing industry has relied on materials that are harmful to the environment, such as petroleum-based neoprene wetsuits and foam surfboards that are difficult to recycle. This has led to significant pollution and waste.

Each surfboard disintegrated in the water leaves behind a trail of microplastics, and we want to be able to prevent that. By investing in sustainable materials, we can ensure that surfing remains a sport that is enjoyed for generations to come, without harming the planet we all love.

As Vice-Chancellor at UOW, I believe that sport is one way we can empower our students for their futures. A consistent body of research shows that students who participate in athletics tend to fare significantly better both in school and later in life.

Engagement in sporting activities not only helps to promote self- esteem and leadership skills, but it gives people hope and offers a sense of belonging that is unrivalled.

As we move towards an unknown future that will demand physical and mental health and resilience, I hope that our UOW Sport Strategy will live out to be a testament to our commitment to innovation, excellence, and community at the University of Wollongong.