Meldungen

Researchers unveil the first digital system for measuring swimming ability – invitation to a practical demonstration on 28 May in Berlin. One in two children leaves primary school without being able to swim safely. At the same time, teachers delivering swimming lessons both in and out of school are increasingly faced with diverse learning groups and limited resources. A research project by the German Sport University Cologne and the Europa-Universität Flensburg can now offer a digital solution to this problem for the first time: The newly developed swimming instruction app enables swimming ability to be systematically assessed and individual support needs to be identified. The app helps teachers to design tailored swimming lessons more easily, safely and efficiently. On 28 May 2026, the German Sport University Cologne and the Europa-Universität Flensburg are inviting media representatives, experts in the field, and representatives from the worlds of education, sport and politics to Berlin for the closing symposium of the research project ‘EuViS – Die App zur Diagnostik von Lernausgangslagen und der Gestaltung von passgenauem Schwimmunterricht’. At the heart of this project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space under the ‘VIP+’ programme (Validation of the Technological and Societal Innovation Potential of Scientific Research), centres on the question of how children with different starting points can learn to swim more effectively in future – supported by scientifically sound digital diagnostics. The app is based on the ‘Eulenblick’ method, which visualises swimming proficiency levels and uses this to derive specific recommendations for lessons and exercises. At the closing symposium, the project leaders will present the latest research findings, insights into the app’s development, and lessons learnt from the pilot and validation phases. A particular highlight will be a practical demonstration with a Berlin primary school class during a swimming lesson. Contributors include representatives from the German Sport University Cologne, the Europa-Universität Flensburg, the DLRG (German Life Saving Association), the German Swimming Federation, as well as experts from academia and the world of sport. Date: Thursday, 28 May 2026 10.00–16.30 Venue: Hotel Oderberger Oderberger Str. 57, 10435 Berlin Programme highlights: First-ever presentation of the swimming instruction app for assessing swimming ability Live practical demonstration in the water with a Berlin primary school class Insights into research, pilot studies and scientific validation Discussion on the future of swimming instruction in schools and clubs Panel discussion with representatives from academia, schools and sport Media representatives welcome Journalists are warmly invited to attend the event. The practical demonstration will take place from 11.45 am to 12.30 pm. Opportunities for interviews with the project leaders and experts on site will be available after the practical demonstration. The detailed programme can be found in the appendix. Further information on the EuViS project We look forward to your coverage. Please contact Lea Feger with the following details (name, media outlet, format and team size): l.feger@dshs-koeln.de

Closing symposium of the EuViS research project highlights the potential of digital diagnostics for promoting swimming among children One in two children leaves primary school without being able to swim confidently. At the same time, teachers delivering swimming lessons both in and out of school are faced with increasingly diverse learning groups and limited resources. Researchers from the German Sport University Cologne and the Europa-Universität Flensburg demonstrated how swimming instruction can be made more personalised and effective in future at the final symposium of the EuViS research project in Berlin. The event centred on the presentation of a newly developed swimming instruction app. The app enables teachers to systematically assess swimming ability, identify individual learning levels and derive tailored learning content from this. The app is based on the scientifically developed learning assessment tool ‘Eulenblick’ and has been developed and validated over the past three years in collaboration with schools, associations and other partners in the field. Around 90 invited representatives from the fields of science, education, politics, associations and the world of sport used the symposium as an opportunity to discuss current challenges in swimming instruction and possible solutions. Guests included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the education authorities of various federal states, sports federations and educational institutions from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. “Educational innovations realise their value not merely because they are theoretically convincing, but because they become genuinely practicable and applicable in everyday life , ” emphasised Professor Tobias Vogt, project leader of the EuViS project and head of the Institute of Professional Sport Education and Sport Qualifications at the German Sport University Cologne. The EuViS project is a prime example of the transfer of scientific findings into practice. From the outset, researchers worked closely with schools, teachers, federations and educational institutions. The tools developed were not only designed on a scientific basis, but also tested under real-world conditions and continuously refined. “Experience from Schleswig-Holstein shows that, by using the app, teachers gain greater confidence in assessing pupils’ learning progress and can provide children with more tailored support , ” explains project leader Dr Nele Schlapkohl from the Europa-Universität Flensburg. A highlight of the symposium was the practical demonstration with a primary school class from Berlin. Participants were able to observe first-hand how the learning assessment tool is used in the water and how the app supports teachers in observing, documenting and supporting children. In his welcoming address, Professor Ansgar Thiel , Rector of the German Sport University Cologne, placed the project’s findings within a broader social context. “Swimming is far more than just a sporting skill. As a fundamental life skill, it gives children a sense of security, self-confidence and social inclusion.” Promoting swimming proficiency is therefore not only a task for sports education but also a social one. The concluding panel discussion also made it clear that sustainable improvements in swimming provision can only be achieved through collaboration between academia, politics, associations and practitioners. Topics discussed included the importance of evidence-based support measures, the role of data-driven assessment, and ways of integrating successful pilot projects into existing educational structures in the long term. The research project “EuViS – Die App zur Diagnostik von Lernausgangslagen und der Gestaltung von passgenauem Schwimmunterricht” was carried out by the German Sport University Cologne in collaboration with the Europa-Universität Flensburg. The project received funding of around 1.6 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space under the VIP+ funding programme (“Validation of the Technological and Societal Innovation Potential of Scientific Research”). “The project’s findings show that data-driven assessment can make a significant contribution to tailoring swimming lessons more effectively and supporting children in line with their individual needs. The project thus helps to improve children’s swimming ability and to enhance their participation in physical activity, sport and social life,” said project leader Dr Ilka Staub from the German Sport University Cologne.

At the German University Badminton Championships in Essen, students from the Wettkampfgemeinschaft Köln (WG: German Sport University Cologne, University of Cologne and TH Köln) once again put in strong performances and won a total of four medals. After the German Sport University Cologne had hosted the event three times over the past four years (2022, 2023, 2025), the University of Duisburg-Essen hosted the four-day tournament last weekend. Spoho student Lennart Konder is German University Champion Around 20 students from WG Köln competed in the individual tournament and impressed with numerous strong performances. The men’s singles proved particularly successful: here, the Cologne athletes secured the full set of medals, from bronze to gold. In the all-WG Köln final, Lennart Konder – currently studying for a Master’s in Teacher Training and a lecturer in badminton at the German Sport University Cologne – defeated Dorian Tihi (TH Köln) in two sets, thereby being crowned the 2026 German University Champion. In the mixed doubles, the Cologne players also celebrated a bronze medal. Strong performances “The Cologne athletes have once again performed brilliantly and put in some strong performances. I am particularly pleased that Lennart was able to claim the title this year, meaning the men’s singles title returns to Cologne for the first time since 2018,” summarised Dr Daniel Hoffmann, from the Badminton Teaching and Research Department at the German Sport University Cologne. However, the highlight of the season for the University badminton team from Cologne is still to come: at the end of July, the team will represent the university internationally at the EUSA European Universities Games in Salerno, Italy.

The European College of Sport Science (ECSS) has appointed Prof. Dr. Tobias Vogt to its Scientific Board. The director of the Institute for Teaching Competence in Sports , Department of Sports Didactics and Methodology, has been an ECSS Fellow since 2018 and a member of the Scientific Committee since 2021. Tobias Vogt’s new responsibilities on the Scientific Board include developing the scientific program, particularly selecting the invited symposia for the “Applied Sciences” section with a focus on education, coaching, and movement learning. He will also continue to be involved in evaluating submissions for the “ECSS Young Investigator Award.” The ECSS congresses are considered Europe’s largest multi- and interdisciplinary sports science congresses, now attracting around 3,000 researchers from around the world each year. The next ECSS Congress will take place from 20 to 23 July, 2027, in Manchester (UK), and in 2028, the event will be held in Copenhagen (4–7 July, 2028).