News from the Institute

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.

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.

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

At the beginning of July, the University of Münster hosted its first interfaith and democratic football event at the Preußen Stadium. Rather than focusing on goals and competition, the event emphasised dialogue, fair play and mutual respect. The tournament was organised by the Faculty of Islamic Theology, the Faculty of Catholic Theology and the Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Following its successful debut, the event is planned to return next year.

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.

Now more than ever, the professional development of trainee teachers bears the responsibility of promoting democratic values. The ZLB’s Teacher Education Days aim to contribute to this. The seminar ‘Dictatorship and Democracy in Sport – National Socialist Sport and Sport Today’ (Reinhart) contributed to the Teacher Education Days with, amongst other things, posters, podcasts and its own website. These can now be accessed here.

Our partner, TK, presents an engaging report showing how a nursing home can become a place for exercise. This isn’t just about sports or physical activity, but also about social interaction among seniors.

Read the full report here.

Click here to visit the project website

As part of the Bundesliga bewegt Club Calls organised by the Bundesliga Foundation (formerly the DFL Foundation), Prof. Dr. Nils Neuber gave a presentation on democratic core competencies in children’s physical play. Under the title “Children in Charge!?”, he highlighted the unique potential of sport for democracy education and presented empirical findings on both guided and unguided physical activities, demonstrating how democratic participation can be fostered through children’s movement and play. He also shared key insights from the Münster Democracy Festival 2025.

Great joy at the Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences: Christiane Bohn has been awarded the 2025 Ars legendi Faculty Award in Sport Science. The jury was particularly impressed by Christiane Bohn’s ability to combine academic expertise, a strong practical focus, pedagogical sensitivity and exceptionally supportive guidance for students. Through her teaching, she makes important contributions in areas including adapted physical education, psychomotor education and teacher training.

On 9 July 2026, several members of our research group attended the DUMMY CRASHTEST MEASURE User Meeting at the crash test facility in Münster. The diverse programme of presentations provided valuable insights into current developments in biofidelic dummies, measurement technology, and the analysis of loading and injury mechanisms. A particular highlight was the live high-speed crash test involving three vehicles.

The Willibald Gebhardt Institute hosted the international CEREPS Summit at the Franz Hitze House in Münster. More than 60 researchers, practitioners and representatives from politics and sport discussed current developments in youth sport in schools and sports clubs, including topics such as physical activity promotion, inclusion and all-day education. The Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Münster contributed to the planning and organisation of the international conference through its Physical Education and Teaching Research unit.

Having successfully defended her doctoral thesis on 7 July 2026, Meike Gerlach has successfully completed her PhD in Movement Science. Her thesis is entitled 'Biomechanical Sprint Analysis – External Factors Influencing Joint Kinetics and Performance'. The disputation was conducted by Prof. Dr. Heiko Wagner, Dr. Stefan Hochstein and Prof. Dr. Michael Brach.

As part of our joint DFG project, “The Influence of Joint Replacement on Ipsilateral and Contralateral Joint Forces—Long-Term Analysis of Adaptations Through In Vivo Measurement and Simulation,” our doctoral student Lena Kloock visited the Julius Wolff Institute at Charité Berlin to assist with measurements. She was able to observe the measurement of a patient with two instrumented hip joints and also gained valuable insight into other projects at the Julius Wolff Institute and Orthoload.

Many thanks to everyone involved for this insight! We look forward to the next steps in the project!

As part of the ‘Individual Support and Psychomotor Skills’ module, led by Dr C. Bohn, a group from St Theresia Kindergarten in Münster visited the university. The students had prepared a wide range of physical activities for the pre-school children in the psychomotor skills room. Whilst the children experimented with unfamiliar materials at various stations and practised their motor skills through swinging, jumping, balancing, climbing and so on, the trainee PE teachers had the opportunity to hone their diagnostic skills and apply their pedagogical knowledge and abilities in ‘real-life’ conditions. It was therefore a special and rewarding event for everyone involved!

On July 03, 2026, Birte Brinkmöller successfully defended her dissertation in the field of sports psychology with the title "Talent selection in sports: A comparative analysis with personnel selection in business". Her thesis examined the influence of spectators on athletic performance. She was examined by Prof. Dr. Bernd Strauß, Prof. Dennis Dreiskämper from the TU Dortmund, Prof. Oliver Höner from the University of Tübingen und Prof. Norbert Hagemann von der University of Kassel. 

Skateboarding has been an Olympic sport since the Tokyo Olympics (2020/21). Rather than unanimous enthusiasm, the reaction within the scene has been divided. Some fear that skateboarding will be commercialised and that its ‘punk’ spirit will be lost.

We’ll be discussing the tension between lifestyle and competitive sport with some of skateboarding’s most influential figures: Titus Dittmann, ‘Cola’ Kuhn and Julius Dittmann.

Thursday 9 July, 10 am–12 noon c.t., Leo 17.21

Mini-ramp available to try out! Hosted by Dr Kai Reinhart. Free entry!

This publication presents, for the first time, an overview of the teaching activities at the University of Münster. The faculty portraits invite you to experience the conviction that university instruction is a key pillar of higher education.

As part of their project days, on June 10, 2026, about 20 students from the Anne Frank Gymnasium visited the Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences (IfS) together with their teacher and IfS alumna Jenny Fastnacht.

During their visit, the participants gained fascinating insights into the research and practical applications of sports psychology. Dr. Stephanie Bünemann and Birte Brinkmöller from the Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology presented current topics and areas of application in their field and provided an overview of their scientific work.

On May 29, 2026, Edda van Meurs successfully defended her dissertation in the field of sports psychology. Her thesis examined the influence of spectators on athletic performance. She was examined by Prof. Dr. Bernd Strauß, Prof. Dr. Stefanie Klatt from the DSHS Cologne, and Prof. Dr. Henning Plessner from the University of Heidelberg.

Barbara Halberschmidt, Laura van de Loo, and Bernd Strauss have published the book 'Duale Karriere. Die Vereinbarkeit von Studium und Spitzensport'. 

This book evaluates the “Partner University for Elite Sports” project, which was launched in 1999, and provides up-to-date empirical analyses of dual careers in a higher education context. It examines how universities, in collaboration with partners (e.g., Olympic training centers and sports federations), support athletes. Student elite athletes must navigate the demands of both systems simultaneously. This poses a particular challenge, especially given the highly structured nature of degree programs since the Bologna Process reforms.

The program is open to students from all academic disciplines with good to very good academic performance, as well as first-year students with the appropriate potential. In addition to academic performance, particular consideration is given to personal background, community involvement, and special social or family circumstances.

Application period: June 22 through July 10, 2026 (deadline)

Application portal: https://www.uni-muenster.de/protalent/bewerbende/bewerbung.html

Grant amount: 300 euros per month

Grant period: October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027

Further information: https://www.uni-muenster.de/protalent/

Last Friday, the Department of Movement Science, formerly Sport Biomechanics at the Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences (IfS) at the University of Münster, celebrated its 50th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, current and former staff members gathered for a festive reunion. We were especially pleased to welcome Professor Klaus Nicol as our guest of honor. Between 1979 and 2001, he played a key role in establishing and successfully developing the Chair of Sport Biomechanics. 

Following a joint course taught by Prof. Dr Michael Krüger, former Head of the Department of Sports Education and Sports History, and JProf. Dr Helga Leineweber, Head of the (new) Department of Education and Culture in Sport, a book on ‘The Olympics and Olympism’ has now been published. The tri-sectioned book brings together texts by recognised experts on ethical, historical and educational issues relating to Olympic sport and has been published by Meyer & Meyer Verlag as the 18th volume in the Willibald Gebhardt Institute’s series.

The Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Münster will launch a new certificate programme on 5 February 2027 focusing on the development of all-day education through physical activity, play and sport. The practice-oriented continuing professional development programme comprises 60 learning units and is based on current research findings on promoting children’s and young people’s development in all-day schools. It is aimed at teachers, educational coordinators of all-day school providers, early childhood educators, social pedagogues, coaches, instructors and volunteers working in all-day education who wish to contribute to the further development of their schools and educational settings.

Further information and registration

The academic book "History of Body Culture, Sport and Education" was just published by Prof. Dr. Micheal Krüger, former professor for history of sport at the Institute, and the palgrave macmillan publisher. It collates and contextualises a considerable body of work on sports theaory, science and education. Further, the book provides a European perspective reflecting on the importance of German-speaking research to the sport sociology field. It reflects on the influcne of sports on nation-building.

The growing interest in sport science research among school students is becoming increasingly evident. In the past four weeks alone, three different advanced physical education courses from Münster and the surrounding area visited our Open Lab. The students took the opportunity to gain insights into the field of movement science and experience research first-hand.

The Neuromotor Behaviour and Training research group is pleased to announce the official launch of a new research project funded by the Federal Institute of Sport Science BISp: As of 1 April 2026, the project GIM – Gender-Specific Injury Monitoring in Elite Sport is underway. The aim is to develop a practice-oriented implementation toolkit that supports clubs and federations in integrating gender-sensitive monitoring incrementally into their existing structures.

In an interview with the university newspaper wissen|leben, Maike Elbracht explains how the sports degree programme at the University of Münster prepares future swimming teachers to competently address the challenges facing schools and society with regard to swimming and swimming skills.

From May 14 to 16, 2026, the Departments of Education and Culture in Sport and Physical Education and Teaching in Sport participated in the 39th Annual Conference of the dvs Section Sport Pedagogy in Frankfurt am Main. The conference was held under the theme “Educational Biographies in Sport – Actors in Dialogue.”

The Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology has received funding from the Federal Institute for Sports Science (BISp) to implement the transfer project “CuLTT-LA28 – Coaching and Leadership Culture of the German Gymnastics Team – Men’s Artistic Gymnastics – On the Road to LA 2028.” From May 2026 to July 2027, Sebastian Brückner will support the national team on its path to Olympic qualification to support the necessary performance development in context of the current generational shift within the team. 

At the 58th Annual Conference of the German Association of Sportpsychology (asp), Laura van Loo, together with Sebastian Wieber, Barbara Halberschmidt and Helga Leineweber, won the asp Poster Award for their poster entitled "Statusgruppen im paralympischen Spitzensport - Eine Paralympics Analyse der Deutschen Mannschaft in Paris 2024". 

Congratulations!

Axel Binnenbruck’s new handball textbook is aimed at athletes, coaches and trainers. It combines theoretical insights into the sport of handball with practical recommendations for training and competition. This Praxisbuch für Studium, Training und Freizeitsport takes readers through all the phases of a handball training session, emphasising the importance of teaching methods that closely resemble actual gameplay. 

“Women Into Science” is an event organized by the Equal Opportunity Commission, taking place on May 11 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. The goal is to raise the profile of women in science and showcase a variety of career paths. Female scientists will share their personal career stories, offer insights into their daily work lives, and discuss the experiences, challenges, and opportunities they have encountered on their journey into science.

We were thrilled to welcome Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim and the TerraX team back to our OpenLab! This time, it was all about the follow-up: After several weeks of dance training, we repeated the measurements to see what had changed.
 

The department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise has been awarded €4,500 by the Universitätsgesellschaft Münster in support of its Training Lab project, an initiative that brings sports science expertise to recreational sports clubs across the city. The Training Lab is designed to support niche and traditionally under-resourced recreational sports in Münster by connecting them with academic sports science.
 

Once again this year, 15 keen young women found their way to our institute to take part in Girls’ Day. They gained fascinating insights into sports science research, got to know the campus, and, of course, there was plenty of time to ask lots of questions about university life.

JunProf. Helga Leineweber and Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt have edited the book 'Schulsport, Transdisziplinäre Erkenntnisse und Implikationen für die Praxis'.

The book examines the diverse demands placed on school sport and explores how the educational objectives of physical education can be achieved. To understand how sport in a school setting can contribute to pupils’ cognitive, emotional and social development, and what conditions need to be taken into account, the book draws on perspectives from sports pedagogy, sports psychology and other disciplines.

The Neuromotorics & Training Department is looking for students (preferably in their 2nd or 4th semester—all majors) who are willing to participate in a whitewater course and take on small, manageable research projects there (e.g., administering questionnaires, load monitoring…). Contact: Prof. Dr. Eric Eils

During the week of April 20th, the Institute of Sport Science will welcome Dr. Nurgül Keskin Akın from Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University (Turkey). An expert in sport psychology, she will provide insights into her research on self-efficacy and motivational climates in sport and physical education. In addition to guest lectures in Bachelor’s and Master’s seminars, a colloquium for institute staff will be held. Interested parties are cordially invited to attend the sessions. 

The SportFairLeih initiative by the Fachschaft Sport is receiving €1,000 in funding from the University Society as one of a dozen projects in the fields of research, teaching, student engagement, music and culture. We congratulate them on the successful implementation of the project.
The Fachschaft Sport explains how SportFairLeih works in a post on its Instagram account.

Our citizen science project “Beweg dich schlau – Sportwissenschaft in der Schule” was again very successful this year. As part of our cooperation with the Hüberts'sche Schule in Hopsten, a year 9 class visited us in the movement lab to perform a movement analysis using the Qualisys program. They examined the difference between squat jumps and counter movement jumps, particularly with regard to their respective dynamics and the resulting jump height. The students tested both conditions and evaluated the collected data together with the university students. In doing so, they took on the role of both, test subjects and researchers, gaining practical insight into sports science work. The project was implemented by prospective sports teachers as part of the Development and Health project seminar and was supervised by Tabea Christ.

On Friday, May 8, 2026, we invite our graduates and their guests to the castle's auditorium to celebrate their graduation. 

Informations for the invitation and registration will be find on the website of the Graduation Ceremony. 

On February 12, a successful conference on violence prevention – status quo and interdisciplinary perspectives – took place under the title “Between Power and Responsibility: Preventing Violence in Higher Education with Special Consideration of Music and Sports Science.” More than 60 students and staff members participated in the event. The conference was part of a project funded by the QVM Commission of the University of Münster and led by Prof. Isabelle Sophie Heiss and Dr. Lena Henning.

We’re pleased to share that Dr Ross Julian recently visited the University of Gloucestershire, where he is a Visiting Research Fellow, for a week of research, teaching, and knowledge exchange focused on women’s football and athlete health. During the visit, Ross delivered a series of presentations, including a well-attended public lecture titled “Training & Injury Risk in Elite Female Football.” The lecture explored how training load, physiology, and contextual factors interact to influence injury risk in elite women players.

In a new podcast on the female menstrual cycle and soccer performance, Dr. Julian discussed his scientific career and his current research in the field of sports science and women's soccer. In the conversation, Ross shares what first sparked his interest in researching the effects of the menstrual cycle on football performance and discusses his contributions to Women’s Football: From Science to High Performance, including three chapters focused on menstrual cycle monitoring, applied practice, and demonstrating performance benefits to encourage stakeholder investment.
 

On 30 January 2026, Stephanie Bünemann successfully defended her dissertation on “Origin, Development and processes of team performance crisis in sport - theoretical conceptualization and empirical evidence”. The review panel consisted of Prof. Bernd Strauß, Prof. Henning Plessner and Prof. Maike Tietjens.

The IfS extends its heartfelt congratulations!

On 22 January 2026, Dr. Lena Henning was awarded the North Rhine-Westphalia Nachwuchspreis for Sport and Exerciese Science 2026 in the category 'Social, Educational and Cultural Sciences' at the State Parliament Forum. The prize, awarded by State Parliament President André Kuper and State Secretary for Sport and Volunteering Andrea Milz and endowed with 5,000 euros, recognises her research into physical activity and health in childhood from a sports and developmental psychology perspective. Professor Johannes Wessels and Professor Maike Tietjens from the Rectorate of the University of Münster, as well as Professors Heiko Wagner, Helga Leineweber and Nils Neuber from the Institute of Sport and Exercise Science, attended the award ceremony; the laudatory speech was given by Professor Dr. Bettina Rulofs from the German Sport University Cologne. 

Marie Ghanbari receives the teaching award from the Rectorate of the University of Münster for the interdisciplinary "Sportpatenprojekt". The prize is endowed with €30,000. With her concept, which combines theory and practice in an exemplary manner, she promotes not only technical skills but also, in particular, the students' empathy and social skills, thereby providing new impetus for university teaching. The project represents a forward-looking combination of academic education and social engagement. 

On 14 and 15 January, a delegation from Norway, Finland, Ireland and Germany met at the IfS. Prof. Maike Tietjens, Dr Sebastian Brückner and Dr Barbara Halberschmidt welcomed the guests and guided them through the planned accompanying programme over the two days. The OpenLab and GRAIL were shown. Mayor Klaus Rosenau welcomed the delegation in the historic Peace Hall of the town hall. 
The project is developing measures to enable top athletes to pursue successful careers after their sporting careers.

For further information: Link

As part of the lecture series ‘On your marks... Sports history as social history’ (german org: 'Auf die Plätze...' Sportgeschichte(n) als Gesellschaftsgeschichte') at the Research Centre 'Forschungsstelle Zeitgeschichte', Dr. Kai Reinhart gave a lecture on the development of skateboarding in the USA and Germany. In particular, the question of the (Olympic) future of skateboarding led to a lively discussion at the renowned FZ Hamburg.

Become a student research assistant in the international research project Ankle ReLoad and actively contribute your knowledge to biomechanical research! Do you already have a bachelor's degree and are interested in musculoskeletal modelling, inverse dynamics analysis and data processing? As a student research assistant (6 hours/week), you will work on highly relevant issues in clinical rehabilitation and in an international research team. The position starts on 1 April 2026 and is initially for a period of one year. Please send your application as a PDF file by 16 January 2026 to Rosemary Dubbeldam and  Anne Dalhaus.

Further information: Infoschreiben_SHB_Ankle_ReLoad
 

Become a student assistant in the Ankle ReLoad research project at the Institute of Sports and Movement Sciences! Are you studying sports science or biomedical engineering, for example, and would you like to participate in exciting motion capture experiments and data analysis? As a student assistant (6 hours/week), you will gain practical insights into international, clinically relevant research. The position starts on 1 February 2026 and is initially limited to one year. Please submit your application in PDF format by 15 January 2026 to Rosemary Dubbeldam and  Anne Dalhaus.

Further information: Information_SHK_Ankle_ReLoad
 

As part of the BMBFSFJ ComeSport project, the departments of education and culture in sport and physical education and teaching research in sport have developed training courses, teaching ideas, and materials for p.e. teachers on the topic of “Body image and social media in school sports.” From December 3-5, 2025, a meeting was held in Münster with colleagues from the ComeNet 5 subproject in Paderborn and Leipzig to implement the digital reuse of the training concepts developed in a uniform manner on platforms such as WirLernenOnline (We’re learning online). The project is thus successfully approaching its conclusion at the end of February 2026.
 

The Sports Institute was represented by JProf. Dr. Helga Leineweber and Prof. Dr. Nils Neuber at the conference of the DGfE Commission for Sports Education in Osnabrück. The conference programme focused on the question of the extent to which current social challenges influence sports education and put it under pressure to transform. Helga Leineweber and Prof. Dr. Sabine Reuker from the German Sport University Cologne gave a presentation on diversity-sensitive teaching perception – a professional requirement that is particularly relevant for sports teachers. In addition, results from the ComeSport project were presented in the form of a poster. In this project, the departments of Education and Culture in Sport and Physical Education and Teaching Research in Sport are jointly working on the topic of “body image and social media” and preparing it for the further training of sports teachers and sports lessons.

As part of this year's Children's University, Dr Valeria Eckardt took around 160 third to seventh graders on a journey into the world of sports psychology. In her child-friendly lecture ‘Cheering makes you strong – the special power of fans in sport’, the sports psychologist explained why spectators are so important – and what happens when they are absent. 

Manfred Kindermann, a long-serving and highly respected Senior Academic Officer at the Münster Institute of Sport Science, passed away on November 12, 2025, at the age of 87.

Stephanie Bünemann and Birte Brinkmöller enriched the second TrainerTalk with information on sports psychology, sports psychology counselling and cooperation between coaches, athletes and sports psychologists. They were supported by Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt. 

TrainerTalk is organised by the Association for the Promotion of Competitive Sports in Münster, addresses coaches in and from Münster who are active in the field of competitive sports, and has now taken place for the second time. 

From November 18 to 21, 2025, Maike Tietjens, Lena Henning, Hannah Hüttemann and Bernd Strauß participated in the SELF Conference and ERAS Conference 2025 in Singapore. The conference theme, “The Self in Context: Pathways to Flourishing, Learning, and Well-Being,” brought together researchers from around the world and offered diverse insights into topics such as self-concept, motivation, and learning—through both engaging symposia and keynotes by renowned scholars including Reinhard Pekrun, Richard Ryan, Emma Bradshaw, and Mimi Bong. Hannah Hüttemann presented a study on social influences on physical activity as well as a poster on self-concept and fitness among individuals with intellectual disabilities. Lena Henning presented a study on the stereotype threat effect in physical education.
 

On November 14th and 15th, Stephanie Bünemann was invited as a guest speaker to Ljubljana, Slovenia, for the “Dan športne psihologije” (Sports Psychology Day). In a workshop (14.11.) for sports psychologists and psychology students, she led a workshop on evidence-based interventions and discussion in relation to crisis interventions. The next day (15.11.), the actual Sports Psychology Day began, mainly for coaches. There, she had the opportunity to prepare and present her research on crises in teams for practical application in a lecture.

On Monday, Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt and Laura van de Loo were invited to a research colloquium at Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg. There, they presented key findings on the topic of balancing university studies and elite sports.
Shortly before the completion of the “Dual Career” project, the colloquium provided an opportunity to give a comprehensive overview of the findings to date and to exchange experiences and developments with the participants. The focus was particularly on the content and implementation processes of the cooperation agreement “Partner University of Elite Sports,” to which both the University of Münster and the University of Oldenburg are affiliated.

As part of this year's World Schools Summit organised by T4 Education, Dr Marie Ghanbari participated as an invited expert in a panel discussion on the topic ‘Are Universities Becoming Irrelevant?’ The international debate brought together academics, educational innovators and decision-makers to discuss the future of higher education in a time of technological and social change. 

An extraordinary visit to the OpenLab: Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim and the Terra X team visited us to film a feature. With the help of motion capture and Myonardo®, various movements were analysed and visualised, revealing what normally remains hidden: a glimpse inside the body.
Mai Thi will be completing dance training in the coming months. We look forward to welcoming the Terra X team back to OpenLab in the spring for a follow-up measurement!

In the Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology, a student assistant is sought for 4 hours per week, starting on 1 March 2026, to work on the research project ‘Athletes' Transition Tools for Achieving Horizons – ATTACH-U’, including assistance with the organisation of workshops. 

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On Saturday of the first weekend in November, Special Olympics North Rhine-Westphalia (SONRW) held its first volunteer congress at the Institute for Sports Science. Around 80 participants with and without disabilities came together to discuss volunteering within Special Olympics, learn from each other in a wide range of workshops, and look to the future with new inspiration and ideas. Students from the institute's teacher training programmes took part with great interest and contributed to the exchange. The cooperation and provision of the facilities was made possible by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Helga Leineweber, so that the congress could take place on the same site as the 2024 State Games.
In addition, the SONRW sports coordinators took advantage of the event and held a conference in conjunction with it.
 

On November 5, 2025, the board of the Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (IfS) at the University of Münster elected Prof. Dr. Bernd Strauß as the new managing director and Prof. Dr. Heiko Wagner as his deputy. The elected officials will serve for one year. We extend our warmest congratulations and wish them every success!

The Practical Guide for Study, Training, and Recreational Basketball

Meike Kolb has published a book specifically for university-level basketball instruction, "Basketball – The Practical Guide for Study, Training, and Recreational Basketball." [de] In collaboration with Predimo, innovative video sequences featuring avatars are provided. This ebook/book offers targeted support for sports students, particularly those pursuing teaching degrees, in their basketball training. We wish you much enjoyment and success with this book!

After four years, the COST Action The Network on Evidence-Based Physical Activity in Old Age (PhysAgeNet) discussed and presented the project´s key scientific findings during final meetings – including guidelines, frameworks and tools to enhance research on evidence-based physical activity in old age. All materials are publicity available at Zenodo and at the PhysAgeNet Website.
 

We are delighted to announce the election of Prof. Dr. Claudia Voelcker-Rehage as the new Vice President of Finance & Research at the dvs and wish her every success in the upcoming legislative period from 2025 to 2027. Congratulations.

The scientific foundations and practical implementation possibilities of subject-specific education in a language-sensitive physical education classroom were the focus of a workshop offered by Prof. Dr. Helga Leineweber as part of an interdisciplinary conference at Ratsgymnasium Minden. The one-day conference, titled “Language Education in Subject Teaching – Foundations and Perspectives for a New Learning Culture,” emphasized cross-phase networking: teachers from several schools, experts in teacher training, and researchers discussed current concepts of continuous language education—an interdisciplinary task that concerns all school subjects and to which physical education can make an important contribution.

Edda van Meurs, a doctoral candidate in the Sports Psychology department, and Meike Gerlach, a doctoral candidate in the Movement Science department, have been accepted into the fourth cohort of the “Durchstarten. Von der Promotion zur Professur” programme run by the Office for Gender Equality at the University of Münster. The program assists outstanding doctoral students with workshops, supervision, and mentoring to help them prepare for a career in academia. Together with other young female researchers, they will have the opportunity to further develop key skills for a career in academia.

From June 2022 to June 2025, part of our department worked on the ZIM project ‘Purely Virtual Ergonomics Tool Chain Solution – ReVieTal’. Together with our project partner USE-Ing. GmbH from Stuttgart, we developed a prototype glove with accompanying software that uses sensors to measure forces on the hands. This allows us to determine the strain on the hand when using various tools, such as a drill. We would like to thank USE-Ing. for the successful and productive collaboration.

On October 7, 2025, Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt and Laura van de Loo informed around 100 participants about current scientific findings in the field of dual careers at the NRW Sports School Meeting in Bielefeld. A particular focus was on the critical transitions between school and university.
In a subsequent workshop on dual careers, key aspects were explored in more detail, and concrete starting points for practical implications were developed in a small group.

Edda van Meurs, a doctoral candidate in the Sports Psychology department, and und Meike Gerlach, a doctoral candidate in the Movement Science department, have been accepted into the fourth cohort of the “Durchstarten. Von der Promotion zur Professur” programme run by the Office for Gender Equality at the University of Münster. The program assists outstanding doctoral students with workshops, supervision, and mentoring to help them prepare for a career in academia. Together with other young female researchers, they will have the opportunity to further develop key skills for a career in academia.

"Psychological Aspects in School Sports" was the title of the 11th Paderborn School Sports Day on Wednesday, October 1, at Paderborn University. Over 70 teachers from all school types, full-time teachers, and coaches from the region participated in the event to learn about current developments in this field and to deepen their knowledge in subsequent workshops.

From September 16-19, the IfS (German Institute for Sports Science) at the University of Münster hosted the 27th dvs Hochschultag together with the IfS's 100th anniversary celebrations. Both national and international participants met to discuss research, projects, and current topics in sports science.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Institute of Sports Science, Kai Reinhart and Michael Krüger have published a special edition of the journal STADION, which was officially presented at the IfS anniversary celebration (16 September 2025). It focuses on the history of the IfS in Münster, but also covers numerous other exemplary sports science institutions in Germany and around the world.

Prof. Eric Eils will take up a  visiting professorship in training science and sports medicine at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in the winter term25/26. We wish him every success and a fruitful semester in Halle (Saale).

We are delighted to launch TBrainBoost ERA week 1.0 at the University of Münster, Germany.
Topic: Sport Science - From science to practical applications
This ERA Week brings together experts, researchers and practitioners to exchange ideas, share insights and discuss practical approaches to research and knowledge transfer on healthy ageing. The programme includes lectures, transfer workshops and intersectoral exchange on the topics of sport, healthy ageing and transfer into practice.

Since the beginning of the year, intensive work has been carried out on this publication in all areas of work and beyond. Our commemorative publication was officially presented at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Institute of Sports Science. Almost 250 pages contain history and stories, facts and figures, and many pictures that give an impression of the diverse developments at the Institute and invite readers to leaf through, browse, reminisce, and marvel. In addition to the limited print edition, the commemorative publication is also available online.
 

The Institute of Sports Science at the University of Münster is offering a 65% doctoral position in the field of sports education. We are looking for applicants with a relevant university degree and an interest in research and teaching.
👉 To the job posting

As part of the dvs-Hochschultag 2025, three selected finalists will present their scientific work in a creative and entertaining way on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, at 7 p.m. in Lecture Hall H1. The evening will be hosted by cabaret artist Thomas Philipzen. 
The audience can look forward to exciting insights into current sports science research, acrobatic highlights by the show team and the joint decision on the winner. The event is open to conference participants and the interested public. Everyone is welcome! 

All information about the Science Slam can be found here.

 

In our PROGRESS study, published in Frontiers in Aging, we are investigating an innovative prevention program for nursing homes. Using a cluster-randomized, controlled crossover design, we are examining the influence of behavioral and environmental prevention measures promoting physical activity on the physical activity and functional ability of residents. The goal is to establish everyday, sustainable exercise promotion in nursing facilities.
 

Dr. Rosemary Dubbeldam, Lena Kloock, and André Schwarze participated in the 30th Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics in Stockholm. As part of the event, they presented their research focuses in individual talks. The international conference also offered an excellent opportunity to discuss current developments in the field of biomechanics and to establish new scientific collaborations.

In the summer semester of 2025, students of the Bachelor's program Human Movement in Sports and Exercise had the unique opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge directly to sports practice. As part of the seminar "Physical Training in Elite Sports – Tailored Physical Training for Female Rugby Players," they worked closely with the Rugby Tourists Münster, a women’s rugby sevens team with one clear goal: qualifying for the German Championships in August.
 

On 23 July 2025, a diverse and colourful examination show took place in front of a sold-out audience of around 1000 guests and guests of honour.  
Well over 100 active participants - cooperating clubs, university sports, the student council and the IfS working group on forces and students - put on a programme full of highlights and breathtaking show acts. A special highlight was the live broadcast by WDR directly from the show. Markus Jürgens gave us goosebumps with his world record attempt to run backwards on the treadmill for six hours.
 

The Department of Human Movement Science presented itself with a booth at the SchlauRaum science festival in Münster's city center. On the topic of “Bewegung, die Wissen schafft”, the team of doctoral students, project seminar students, and research assistants offered insights into the diverse research carried out by the work group. From psychomotor skills and kinematic movement analysis to sport in old age, everything was on offer for the mixed audience.

Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt and Laura van de Loo were invited to the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 Sports and Inclusion Summit, which took place on 19 July 2025 under the motto Diversity, Participation and Inclusion in International University Sports. 

Source/ further information: https://www.land.nrw/pressemitteilung/
inklusion-im-hochschulsport-weiterdenken-rhine-ruhr-2025
-sports-and-inclusion

 

Laura van de Loo presented data from the project on the scientific investigation of the compatibility of studies and elite sports (https://www.uni-muenster.de/Spitzensport/DualeKarriere.html) funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the German Association of College Sports (adh) on July 18th during the FISU World Conference (https://rhineruhr2025.com/en/world-conference). The FISU World Conference is embedded in the FISU World Games, the largest student sports event worldwide this year.
►Information booklet of the FISU World Conference

Eike Boll presented the cooperation project between the Institute of Sports Science and the Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology as part of the lunchtime training course - a series of training sessions at the University Hospital for paediatric doctors and anyone interested. The focus was particularly on the snow sports project and its development in recent years. The exchange with colleagues from the clinic was very beneficial for the perspective of the overall project, which also offers various water sports and a climbing and bouldering programme for children and young people with cancer. Once again, the multi-professional orientation of the project became clear: in addition to doctors from the various paediatric disciplines, the training also involved specialists from the fields of sports, occupational and physiotherapy.

As part of the VP Inline Skating at School (Dr Reinhart), a roller sports project was carried out in cooperation with the Pascal-Gymnasium in Münster (7-10 July). Over four days, the students taught 23 pupils from Year 5 to Year 10 various aspects of inline skating, from basic riding techniques to inline hockey and artistic roller skating.

From June 3–5, 2025, Dr. Valeria Eckardt and Stephanie Bünemann attended the annual NASPSPA conference. This year, they had the opportunity to present their research in the beautiful setting of Lake Tahoe. They also engaged in many exciting and inspiring conversations with both new and familiar colleagues.

Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt was a guest on the university's podcast "Umdenken." Even before the start of the "FISU World University Games 2025" on July 16, the challenges faced by young elite athletes are the focus of many discussions. While some experts call for more intensive talent scouting and more and better-trained coaches, sports psychologist Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt is convinced that financial difficulties, in particular, often prevent better results, and that psychological factors influence athletic performance.

You can find the link to the episode here [de].

In 1925, the year the Institute of Sports Science was founded, there were more and more opportunities to take part in sport at the university. After graduation, however, things still looked bleak: It was not appropriate for adults to run around the sports field in shorts. The first director of the Institute of Physical Education, Dr Hugo Wagner, therefore founded the ‘Alt Akademiker Abteilung’ e. V., in which graduates would continue to have the opportunity to play sport - fistball to be precise. The AAA still does this today, so that it, like the IfS, can celebrate its 100th anniversary this year. Dr Kai Reinhart was the guest of honour at the anniversary celebration in the Mühlenhof (12.7.25), where he addressed the guests.

PhD students Meike Gerlach and Tabea Christ presented their current research at the 30th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science in Rimini, Italy. The congress offered great opportunities for exchange and networking with the specialist audience and international colleagues from related fields of research. The valuable feedback on their poster presentations provided new impulses for their doctoral theses.
 

Together with Michel Audiffren (Poitiers), Ivan Bautmans (Brussels) and Yael Netz (Wingate) we planned the new Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters from 9-11.7.25. The hosts were Ellen Bentlage, Jil Bartholmy (Leiden) and Michael Brach. In the EMJM Master's programme you study at more than one university, generous scholarships are possible. Our preparations are supported by the International Office.
 

At the 30th Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Matthias Hendricks, PD Dr. Dieter Kutz and Prof. Dr. E. Eils presented their current research findings and received valuable feedback from the specialist community. Prof. Dr. E. Eils also chaired several events. The conference offered numerous opportunities for scientific exchange and networking with national and international experts in the field of international sports science.
 

The Olympic Study Day 2025 at the Institute of Sports Science at the University of Münster, organized by the Willibald Gebhardt Institute in cooperation with the Department of Education and Culture in Sport, was very well received. Over 100 participants attended in person or online to listen intently to the two speakers’ fascinating presentations on the topic of “Asian Perspectives on the Olympic Movement.” Representatives of the German Olympic Academy (DOA) also joined the event. The event also attracted interest from representatives of the Olympic Study Center at the IOC in Lausanne. More Information here.