Our Mission Statement

It reaffirms its role as a European University of Sport through a diverse teaching and research landscape, through the close integration of theory and scientifically grounded practice across all areas of sport and sporting disciplines, and through excellence in sport science.

It combines its ongoing commitment to innovation with an awareness of its special responsibility towards sport and society. This also includes critically monitoring and reflecting on developments in both elite and grassroots sport.

Furthermore, the German Sport University Cologne recognises that gender equality is of particular importance to its academic work and to its own organisational development.

To this end...

• it promotes, within its institutes, sports-related areas of research in the humanities, social sciences, medicine and the natural sciences at a high international standard, including through the use of transfer centres where resources and potential are brought together and pooled across institutes and disciplines;
• it cultivates and develops a scientifically sound practice of sports and applied movement research,
• it promotes interdisciplinary exchange and close links with the various fields of application in sport,
• it supports early-career researchers,
• it offers its students a varied education in academically oriented career profiles that meet the changing demands of the labour market and provide a solid foundation for a qualified career in many sport-related fields of work,
• it addresses societal changes and issues in the fields of sport, health promotion, prevention and rehabilitation, leisure behaviour, social integration and socialisation; within this framework, it devises forward-looking solutions through physical activity and sport, and develops innovative models for elite and grassroots sport, recreational and professional sport, as well as health-related sport and school sport,
• as a European University of Sport, it strengthens international – particularly European – cooperation and exchange with foreign higher education institutions and promotes mobility, the mutual recognition of academic achievements and examination results, as well as degree qualifications,
• it also reflects upon and monitors the potential consequences of the dissemination and use of its research findings,
• it sees itself as a critical and independent body, particularly with regard to problematic developments in sport in the areas of doping, commercialisation and environmental issues,
• it is open to the transfer of knowledge and technology, as well as to continuing education and professional development,
• it informs the public about the results of its work and promotes public dialogue between academia and society. 
   

Working Together Towards Success

All members of the University utilise the resources and opportunities available to them within the scope of their respective roles and responsibilities to uphold this mission statement. This requires ongoing discussion, a willingness to engage in critical self-reflection, and a commitment to change both the content of research and teaching and the ways in which they are organised.

In doing so, the University relies in particular on the practical sporting and academic excellence of its staff, on the calibre of its students, and on taking an active stance within its academic and non-academic environments.

University Development Plan – Mission 2031

The Mission 2031 of the German Sport University Cologne is to create the conditions that will enable sport and physical activity to realise their strong potential for solving societal problems, through outstanding university education, excellent research and the proactive transfer of the University’s own research findings, technologies and insights into society. At the heart of all our efforts in research, teaching and the transfer of knowledge relating to sport and physical activity lies the aim of contributing to the improvement of the quality of life for all members of our society.