Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Institut für Sportwissenschaft und Sport

What Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Institut für Sportwissenschaft und Sport does

The Department für Sportwissenschaft und Sport (DSS) is a public academic sports science institution at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), established in its current form in 2001 through the merger of the Institut für Sportwissenschaft with the Sportzentrum. It is structured around four research working areas (Bewegung und Gesundheit, Bildung im Sport, Public Health und Bewegung, Sport- und Bewegungsmedizin) plus two operational units (Geschäftsbereich Lehre, Geschäftsbereich Hochschulsport und Liegenschaften), with leadership provided by four full professors plus specialized staff for teaching and university sports operations.

The department's core offerings comprise degree programs including the international English-language Master 'Physical Activity and Health' and comprehensive teacher training (Lehramt Sport), research programs built around 60+ projects, and operational service delivery including sport psychological counseling and general university sports for approximately 52,000 students and staff. Its proprietary research framework, the Bewegungsbezogene Gesundheitskompetenz (BGK) model developed with Prof. Gorden Sudeck at the University of Tübingen, addresses movement-related health competence through individual movement, control, and self-regulation competence. Since 2014, the DSS has housed one of only three WHO Collaborating Centres worldwide focused exclusively on physical activity.

As a public university department, the DSS operates on a non-commercial funding model combining state higher-education budget allocations (via the State of Bavaria and FAU central administration) with third-party research grants from the DFG, German federal ministries (BMG, BMEL), EU Horizon Europe, health insurance funds (GKV-Bündnis), and the Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft. Its go-to-market is institutional rather than commercial: research collaborations with WHO Europe and partner universities across five European countries (Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, France), knowledge-transfer services to sports federations via the WEBS platform, and sport psychological services to professional clubs (1. FC Nürnberg) and national teams (German Triathlon).

Name

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Institut für Sportwissenschaft und Sport

Legal name

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Website

https://sport.uni-erlangen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1743

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Department für Sportwissenschaft und Sport (DSS) at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg is a leading German sports science institution offering degree programs, research, and university sports services to 52,000 students and staff, and housing one of only three WHO Collaborating Centres worldwide focused exclusively on physical activity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Sports Science Research

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKACAB

College/University Athletic Departments & Varsity Programs

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

SECONDARYMPAKACAK

University/College Club Sports Programs

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

SECONDARYEDABALAS

Media, Entertainment & Sports

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Industry-Specific Professional Training (e.g., Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction)

Keywords

• Sports science education
• Physical activity research
• Teacher training sport
• Public health exercise
• University sports programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Erlangen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public University Funding: Core funding from the German state (Bavaria) through Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg for teaching, research and administration
2. Research Grants: Third-party funding from German federal ministries (BMG, BMEL), German Research Foundation (DFG), European Commission (Horizon Europe), health insurance funds (GKV-Bündnis), and foundations (Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft)
3. Knowledge Transfer Services: Services including sport psychological counseling, WEBS (knowledge exchange and evaluation research), IQ Move, and continuing education programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Department für Sportwissenschaft und Sport at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg is a public university sports science unit that delivers sports science degree programs (Bachelor, international Master 'Physical Activity and Health', teacher training / Lehramt Sport, structured PhD program), conducts research across four working areas (Movement and Health, Education in Sport, Public Health and Physical Activity, Sports and Exercise Medicine), and operates the WHO Collaborating Centre for Physical Activity and Public Health. It also offers service programs including university sports courses for ~52,000 students and staff, sport psychological counseling (e.g., for 1. FC Nürnberg youth teams), and the WEBS knowledge transfer platform linking sports science with sports federations, clubs, and schools.

Product overview

The Department für Sportwissenschaft und Sport at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg operates as a comprehensive academic sports science institute offering education, research, and services. Its educational portfolio includes the international Master "Physical Activity and Health" (English-language), comprehensive teacher training programs (Lehramt Sport) for all German school types, and a structured PhD program. Research activities are organized across four working areas: Movement and Health, Education in Sports, Public Health and Movement, and Sports and Exercise Medicine, supported by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Physical Activity and Public Health. Service offerings include sport psychological support, the WEBS knowledge transfer platform for education in sports, university sports (Hochschulsport), and the Wassersportzentrum water sports center. Major research projects include IMPAQT (EU Horizon Europe), BGK (physical activity-related health competence), and various national and international collaborative studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WEBS - Wissensaustausch und Evaluationsforschung – Bildung im Sport: A facility focused on knowledge transfer and evaluation research in sports education, cooperating with sports practice institutions including sports associations and schools.
• Mental-stark im Sport

Products and services

• Master 'Physical Activity and Health'

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported development of national recommendations for physical activity and movement promotion
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WHO Regional Office for EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The DSS houses one of only three WHO Collaborating Centres worldwide focused exclusively on physical activity. The centre supports WHO Europe's physical activity research, policy documents, international seminars for capacity building, and national government consultation on physical activity promotion policy. Received first designation in 2014, renewed in 2018 for additional four years.
• Università degli Studi di Verona (Italy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERASMUS+ partner university for student and faculty exchange in sports science. Verona has approximately 23,128 students across 10 faculties.
• Høgskolen i Sørøst-Norge (Norway)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERASMUS+ partner university for sports science exchange. Located in Telemark region with approximately 17,152 students across 8 faculties.
• Universidad de Sevilla (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERASMUS+ partner university with approximately 73,350 students and 122 departments. Partner institute is Departamento de Educación Física y Deporte.
• Université de Lorraine (France)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERASMUS+ partner university in the Grand Est region of northeastern France with approximately 50,000 students. Partnership through Faculty of Sports Sciences, Laboratory INSPIIRE.
• University of Tübingen (Prof. Dr. Gorden Sudeck)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration on the Movement-Based Health Competence (BGK) model development and theoretical foundations of physical activity promotion.
• Deakin University, Australia (Dr. Johannes Carl)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration with Dr. Johannes Carl on physical activity and health competence research.
• Robert Koch Institute, BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for population-representative surveys on movement-related health competence. Partners include Dr. Susanne Jordan, Dr. Maike Buchmann, Dr. Olga M. Domanska.
• 1. FC NürnbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSport psychological support for youth teams (U8-U23) since 2010. Department provides ongoing psychological counseling services.
• German Triathlon National TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSport psychological support for Olympic distance triathlon athletes during 2003-2008 period.
• German Aero Club (Deutscher Aero Club)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on sport psychology in sailplane flying (segelfliegen).
• Sports Federations (DOSB and member organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEBS project cooperation with sports practice institutions including sports federations, clubs, and schools for knowledge exchange and evaluation research in 'Bildung im Sport' (education in sport).
• Partner Universities in the Region (GSO Nürnberg, EV. Hochschule Nürnberg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partners eligible to participate in general university sports programs alongside FAU students and staff.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universität Heidelberg – Institut für Sport und Sportwissenschaft: Major German university sports science department with comparable teaching, teacher training, and public-health-linked research programs, serving a similarly sized academic community within a top-tier German research university.
• Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln: Germany's largest and most research-intensive dedicated sports university, offering comparable sports science degree programs, applied sport psychology services, and university sports programs. It is the closest German counterpart to the DSS in scope and academic positioning.
• Universität Potsdam – Department für Sport- und Gesundheitswissenschaften: Public university sports science department with a strong movement-and-health research focus and teacher-training programs, very comparable in thematic profile ("Bewegung und Gesundheit") and disciplinary structure to FAU's DSS.
• Technische Universität München – Department of Sport and Health Sciences: Large public university in Germany with a Department of Sport and Health Sciences delivering sports science teaching, teacher training, and public-health-oriented research, structurally analogous to FAU's DSS within a major technical university.
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin – Institut für Sportwissenschaft: Long-standing German university sports science institute offering degree programs, teacher training, and research in sport pedagogy and sport psychology; directly comparable in academic mission and structure to the DSS at FAU.
• Karlsruher Institut für Technologie – Institut für Sport und Sportwissenschaft: Public German technical university sports institute offering academic sports science education, university sports, and applied sport science research, structurally similar to FAU's DSS within a large research university.

Broad incumbents

• University of Zurich – Department of Sport, Exercise and Health: Swiss public university department offering comparable sport science research, teacher training, and public-health-linked physical activity research; thematically similar with overlapping expertise in movement-related health competence.
• University of Jyväskylä – Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences: Internationally recognized Nordic faculty focused on sport, physical activity, and health, with substantial research output and doctoral training analogous to FAU's DSS, though operating at larger scale and primarily in Finnish.
• Loughborough University – School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences: Internationally leading UK institution combining sport science research, teaching, and applied sport services; comparable in academic breadth and sport-science research intensity, though in a different national system.

Regional players

• Universität Wien – Institut für Sportwissenschaft: Austrian public university sports science institute with similar teaching, research, and university sports portfolios; comparable in mission but operating in a different DACH country from FAU's DSS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UniFAU
• Facebookfacebook.com/Uni.Erlangen.Nuernberg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friedrich-alexander-universit%C3%A4t-erlangen-n%C3%BCrnberg-institut-f%C3%BCr-sportwissenschaft-und-sport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Institut für Sportwissenschaft und Sport