Donaldson joins the University following almost ten years at British Triathlon where he held the position of Paralympic Pathway Manager.
In his new role – the only one of its kind in the higher education sector – Alasdair will be responsible for defining º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s strategic direction for para sport and the continued development of the University’s disability sport offer.
He has enjoyed a varied career to date in elite-level sport, including at UK Athletics as an Apprentice Coach for endurance, and SportTayside & Fife Athletics as Development Manager.
Alasdair also worked for two years as Technical Representative at leading sports brand New Balance.
He graduated from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ in 1998 (BSc Geography and Physical Education & Sports Science) and completed his PGCE Physical Education with Geography the following year.
“I’m excited about working at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ and further building on the solid para sport foundations already in place,” he said.
“º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ means a lot to me – from the age of 14 I wanted to study here. Since graduating I have lived most of my life in and around the region and I see this as a great opportunity to make º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ a truly world-class institution across the whole para sport landscape.
“We want this to be not only the best place for those vying for Paralympic glory, but also an organisation that provides opportunities for all disabled students.
“We want as many people as possible to enjoy sport and physical activity and all the wonderful benefits that it brings.”
º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s para sport offer continues to evolve with the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport the home of world-leading, impactful international research.
In performance sport, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Lightning Wheelchair Basketball made history by winning the inaugural Women’s Premier League title by going unbeaten throughout the whole regular season and play-offs.
For more information on para sport at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ visit its dedicated website.