Universities benefit from Olympic feelgood factor A sports science expert from Middlesex University works with a fencer from Team GB. Photograph: Middlesex University Just as Team GB benefited from the resources boasted by universities across the country, students and their institutions are now benefiting from "the Olympic effect". Middlesex University hosted several athletes this summer who took advantage of their brand-new human movement lab to assess their strength, speed, power, flexibility and mobility -- and set benchmarks from which to improve in the four-year run-up to Rio, where the next Games will be held in 2016. Anthony Turner, senior lecturer in sports and exercise science at Middlesex University, explains: "Athletes want to go that extra inch. They want as much support as possible -- it's that core concept of marginal gains, so they see it as an opportunity to edge forward that little bit more. The Olympics have shown them, 'Right, we need to take every little advantage available'. They have identified what those advantages are, and gone searching for them." Athletes from Team GB are continuing to enjoy all the benefits of Middlesex's facilities -- as are the university's students, who have access to all the same equipment. Not only is this great for students who are elite athletes as well, Turner also sees this as a plus-point when it comes to employability. He says: "When they go into the workplace, they've already had access to state-of-the-art equipment, so their transition into their job role is that much smoother."