6th Summer School
From August 7th to 25th, the 6th Academic Summer School Program (hereafter the ASSP) of the Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies at German Sport University Cologne was again successfully held onsite after two years’ farewell due to the travel restriction all over the globe.
This year was quite unusual. On the one hand, we welcomed the largest group ever, with 43 students and 4 leading teachers from five different universities, including Beijing Sport University, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Wuhan Sport University, Chengdu Sport University, and Shanxi Normal University. On the other hand, for the first time, we hosted a group of such diversity. Among the 43 students, there were 30 bachelors, 11 masters, and 2 Ph.Ds with the background of both social science and sport science. We were surprised by their outstanding in professional sports, including golf, badminton, aerobic dance, swimming and free sparring. In addition, they also pursue their academic career in both management, international sport organization, tourism, public affairs administration, journalism, rehabilitation and kinesiology.
For 19 unforgettable days, they studied six theoretical modules that cover topics including Foundation of Social Science Research, European Sports Systems and Good Governance, Olympic Studies, Sport Media, Tourism and Outdoor Sport, and Leisure and School Sport, which were accompanied by six practically oriented tutorials. In order to enrich the extracurricular life in addition to the theoretical studies, we organized several sport practices, including boxing, mini golf and outdoor yogalates, as well as 5 field trips not only in Germany but also in neighbouring European countries. During our excursions, the students experienced the atmosphere of European sports and culture.
The first trip was to Dortmund visiting the BVB Stadion, Borusseum and German Football Museum.
During a city-walk in the center of Cologne, the students sensed its Romanian history, stopping at the Rhine River, Hohenzollernbrücke and the Kölner Dom to feel the charm of Cologne with its old and new buildings under the changing history.
The third stop was to the European political center - to Brussels. Located in the heart of Belgium, Brussels is the country's capital and home to the headquarters of the European Union. A city steeped in history, Brussels boasts many beautiful old buildings and cultural sites, as well as being a modern city with advanced transportation and cultural facilities. The students walked all the way along the most important buildings of the European Union, including the European Quarter and Arcade du Cinquantenaire to reach the Parlamentarium Exihibition, getting a hands-on feel for the importance of Brussels.
In order sense the diversity of Europe, our last field trip was to the Netherlands. In the country of tulips and wind mills, the students experienced not only the Giethoorn Village, which is known for its natural beauty, but also Roermond, which has a modern flavor.
Like all good things, the nineteen-day journey had to come to an end. During the closing ceremony, Prof. Mittag, the head of the Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies, and the mentor of the ASSP, gave a farewell speech to all students with the theme of “Responsibility, Courage and Curiosity”. In a few words, he sent his most sincere wishes and hopes to all students. As he mentioned, all generations have their own responsibility, we should combine knowledge and responsibility, as well as courage and curiosity to meet the challenges of the times. We should also have our own compass of values, using the power of courage to support ourselves to think what you think, and to speak what you want, and using the power of curiosity to support ourselves to pursue our hearts on a larger scale.
It is like the two lines of a Chinese poem left by a student on the evaluation form:
短短数日，不胜感激。今虽离别，情谊不绝。
"Even though it was only few days, I cannot express how much I am grateful to this experience. Even though we are parting now, our friendship will not end."
This is the meaning of our ASSP, to connect people from different countries and cultures. Let’s look forward to the ASSP 2024!
Details and Requirements
At a glance
Academic Summer School Program 2023 on Sport Development and Tourism Studies in Germany and Europe
Since 2016, the Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies offers annual summer schools for students, scholars, teaching staff and experienced practioners. The target groups are either Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral students from Chinese (sport) universities or higher educational institutions of sport as well as professionals with a working experience in the field of sport. The program addresses in particular people who are interested in Germany and Europe with a particular view on interdisciplinary sport studies, leisure and tourism studies as well as comparative and transnational research projects. In addition, the summer school allows further insights into a potential study in Germany and the study requirements at German Sport University.
The short-time training program combines academic studies in 6 theoretical learning modules and onsite field trips in a unique manner:
Participants will have the opportunity to become familiar with academic approaches such as sports systems in Europe, education systems, sport governance, sport economics as well as Olympic studies and Sport Mega Events.
Furthermore, leisure and outdoor sport and tourism will be covered. In addition to the onsite activities in the lively host city of Cologne (history of the city and guided city tour; sport clubs, facilities, and events in Cologne) 3 field trips will be organised:
- to the Eifel (national parks in Germany, GPS hiking combat);
- to the former German capital Bonn and the Siebengebirge including the Rhine valley (history of Bonn and its transformation to an international city, outdoor sports and tourism in Germany);
- to Brussels (Belgium’s history as well as a the state’s presence as a multi-national and -lingual federal state, European Union and European sport policy).
The schedule, on top, includes several practical sport events such as watersports in Germany (waterski) and traditional leisure ("Kegeln" similar to bowling).
The 2023 summer school is focussed on urban and regional sport development as well as on new approaches in leisure and tourism studies. It will be held for 3 weeks onsite in Cologne. As a follow-up and to ensure sustainability a 3-day online follow-up will complete the summer school. Successful participants will be awarded with a certificate. The whole program is held in English. Depending on the background of the participants, additional Chinese translation will be provided.
The Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies will take care of all relevant academic matters and the contents of the summer school, including the preparation and implementation of academic seminars and lectures. Other accomplishments considering local transportation, accommodation, meals, field trips and individual weekend activities will be coordinated by the partner organisation ECSDA.
Handbook
Academic Summer School Program 2023 on Sport Development and Tourism Studies in Germany and Europe
A hybrid Summmer School with a 3-week onsite adventure and 3-days online follow-up from 7th to 25th of August, 2023.
All information is gathered in the handbook.
Course Facts
Entry Requirements
The language of the program is English. Applicants are expected to be proficient in English and need to prove their language skills by providing qualification documents such as:
- CET 4 or CET 6/ IELTS or TOEFL Certication
If the applicant doesn't have any official document or proof of English proficiency, he/she will have the possibility to take an online English test to ensure that the required language level is given.
Program Arrangement
A 3-weeks onsite adventure in Europe:
- from August 7 to 25, 2023 with max. 30 participants
- 48-hour theoretical learning with 6 Modules, each module contains two 3-hour Lectures and one 2-hour tutorial
- 12-hour practical experience with 6 sports sessions
- 4 field studies adventuring including the city of Cologne, Eifel National Park, the de-facto capital of the European Union, Brussels, and Deutsches Sport and Olympic Museum, Cologne
(*specific arrangements of the field studies are based on the schedule after the confirmation of participation)
Program Fee
The all-inclusive program fee is 3.850 EUR per student for the ASSP 2023 and it includes:
- all Lectures, Tutorials, Sport Practices, and Field Studies, as well as related learning materials
- tickets that cover public transportation for the entire duration of the ASSP 2023
- group airport transfer
- double room accommodation and 3 meals
- free use of the library and guest WIFI at GSU
- welcome and farewell get-together events, and certification
- one GSU branded t-shirt, cloth bag and keychainper attendee (*specific items are to be determined depending on the availability of the Spoho-Shop)
* No additional fees for activities that are already scheduled in the program.
* Individual trips are not permitted and are only allowed with the arrangement of the supervisor of the ASSP 2023 and the person in charge of each university, and those fees caused by individual trips are not included in the program fee (other fees int. airfare, travel, insurance, visa fee as well as personal expenses are also not included
Application
All you need to do is to complete and send us theapplication form.
Find here details about the application process.
Contact
Danlin Wu
- e-mail: d.wu@dshs-koeln.de
- Chinese mobile +86 13971665283
- German mobile +49 17686099463