Fulda University of Applied Sciences active at the FISU Games

From 16 to 27 July, the Rhine-Ruhr region and Berlin will be celebrating a lively mix of top-class sport, culture and science: the FISU World University Games 2025 will take place in decentralised locations for the first time - in cities such as Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Mülheim and Berlin. After the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the biennial World University Games are the largest multi-sport event in the world! Around 8,500 student athletes travelled from around 150 countries to take part. In addition to 18 competitive sports (including the new 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball), an extensive supporting programme forms the heart of the Games.

Fulda University of Applied Sciences involved in the supporting programme

On 18 and 19 July, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, together with the Department of Social Work and University Sports, was actively involved in the supporting programme of the Games in the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum. With the involvement of the "Movement and Circus Education" study module, social work students developed their own hands-on stations for visitors and athletes over the summer semester.

The aim was clear: low-threshold, creative and participatory activities that are fun and invite people to get active themselves. Content from the areas of circus techniques, frisbee and backstroke sports was used - including park pong (a hybrid of table tennis and roundnet developed at Fulda University of Applied Sciences). These movement activities reflect the range of university sports. The highlight followed at the end of the semester: The students carried out the stations on their own responsibility - for the first time in front of a foreign, sports-interested audience as part of the World University Games. This gave them the opportunity to try out their role as instructors and experience a change of roles. Colleagues from other university sports organisations - both national and international - also came to the four stations and tried out the activities on offer.

Members of the Department of Social Sciences (lecturer Dr Joachim Wondrak; student and circus trainer Florian Nicholson) and members of the university sports team (Maria Engler, Samuel Rill, Jakob Schachtner, Nicolai Kram) prepared the students for their participation during the semester and supervised them on site during the events.

Venue & industrial atmosphere

The Jahrhunderthalle Bochum - a historically significant former industrial hall - became a stage for sport, culture and science during the Games. The modern festival character complemented the industrial surroundings, especially with the two basketball courts inside the hall in combination with the three event stages in the indoor and outdoor areas.

Evening sports & inclusion

In addition to the activities on site, a joint visit to the evening session of 3x3 (wheelchair) basketball was on the agenda: among other things, the delegation from Fulda University of Applied Sciences watched the deciding match for the group victory between the German men's 3x3 team and Mongolia (13:21 in favour of the very strong Mongolia) as well as the impressive preliminary round match between the German 3x3 wheelchair basketball ladies and Brazil (21:0). This competition was a first: for the first time, a para-sport was part of the programme at the Summer World University Games. This inclusive dimension was of course also reflected in the programmes offered by Fulda University in Bochum: low-threshold, participatory and open to all!

At the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Fulda University of Applied Sciences made it clear that university sport is more than just performance: it promotes encounters, inclusion and cultural exchange, for example. The combination of educational support, student commitment and innovative sports programmes resulted in a convincing appearance at the Games. The students gained valuable practical experience for their studies and insights into a unique major sporting event that is unlikely to be repeated in Germany in the next 20-30 years.

University Sport would like to thank the Department of Social Work for its support and is proud to have been a part of the World University Games together with the students!

Click here for more impressions, pictures and videos of the preparation and event!

If you would like to watch the competitions and decisions online, you can do so until 27 July, for example in the ARD media library in the sports show section or via the Rhine-Ruhr Games website.