“The City of Münster and our state have shown themselves at their very best,” said Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, reflecting on last weekend’s NRW Day. The Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences (IfS) also took part, presenting a stand at the Sportmeile. From Friday to Sunday, the institute’s research units and Student Council offered a wide range of insights into their fields of research and teaching under the motto “Democracy and Diversity at the Intersection of Research and Practice”. “A great joint effort by the institute, the Student Council and the sport students,” said Nils Neuber and Nils Kaufmann at the end of the successful event.

On 21 August, the Society for the Study of the History of Democracy organised a panel discussion at the stadium of the former GDR first-division club FC Carl Zeiss Jena. The topic was the period of upheaval in (East) Germany between 1989 and 1994: What did football mean in the late GDR, and particularly during the period of upheaval? What was it like to be a fan? And how did fan culture in the early 1990s change you?
The panellists included Uwe Dern, co-founder of the Jena Fan Project, and Heidi Vater, a former GDR international, alongside Dr Kai Reinhart from the IfS Münster, an expert on sport in the GDR and the period of transition. The discussion was moderated by Liane von Billerbeck (Deutschlandfunk).

Yoonkyu Song received the 2026 Young Scholar Award from the International Society for the History of Physical Education and Sport (ISHPES) and delivered a highly acclaimed keynote lecture at this year’s congress in Taipei (Taiwan). In his keynote presentation, he discussed comparative aspects of the history of sport in general, and specifically in Germany and Korea. More Information

The German Association of Physical Education Teachers in North Rhine-Westphalia (DSLV NRW) has launched a campaign to strengthen school sport by raising public awareness of the topic and giving a platform to voices advocating for school sport. The idea is simple: a portrait photo and a short statement in support of school sport are published on the campaign website and on social media. Together, these contributions demonstrate the broad support behind this important cause.

We warmly congratulate Tabea Christ on winning the bronze medal at the German Championships! With a jump of 6.52 metres, she finished third behind Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo, who won silver with 6.63 metres, and Mikaelle Assani, who claimed gold with 6.67 metres.

What defines excellent university teaching? For Dr Christiane Bohn, the answer lies above all in building strong relationships with students. In an interview marking her receipt of the “Ars legendi Faculty Award for Sports Science 2025”, she talks about learning without fear, developing an individual teaching identity, and her passion for movement and education.
Read the full interview

Katharina Ludwig has successfully defended her doctoral dissertation entitled “Physical Activity in the Classroom – An Empirical Study on the Short- and Long-Term Effects of Classroom Activity Breaks on the Executive Functions of Secondary School Students.” The examination committee consisted of Prof. Dr. Nils Neuber, Prof. Dr. Michael Pfitzner (University of Duisburg-Essen), and Prof. Dr. Dennis Dreiskämper (TU Dortmund University). The dissertation makes an important contribution to the Learning and Movement at School research network.

Lena Kloock and Andrea Arensmann had the opportunity to present their research at the 10th World Congress of Biomechanics in Vancouver. As well as attending interesting presentations from various fields of biomechanics, they also had time to catch up with old contacts and make new ones, which will be helpful in their future work at the institute. Many thanks to the University of Münster’s Equality Office for the financial support that made this trip possible.