Newsroom
Newsroom
Joint reception:Elite sport at the University of Hamburg
15 November 2024, by Newsroom editorial office
Photo: University of Hamburg
Group portrait with athletes (from left): Ingrid Unkelbach (head of Olympiastützpunkt Hamburg/S.-H.), vice president Jetta Frost, Moritz Grauert (rowing), Hanna Zimmel (track consultant), Max Rosenfeld (rowing), Laura Saenger (hockey), Torben Johannesen (rowing), Alina Ammann (track and field), Constantin Staib (hockey), Maria Latos (University staff and rugby referee), Hauke Heekeren (University president), and vice president Natalia Filatkina
From track and field to rowing and hockey, the University of Hamburg has 30 exceptional athletes all studying while training to compete at the Olympic and Paralympic Games and national championships.
A reception was a chance for attendees to look back at an eventful 2024, the highlight of which was the games in Paris. Together, they celebrated the athletic accomplishments of all University of Hamburg students, staff, and alumni and chatted with the University’s president, Prof Dr. Hauke Heekeren, and the vice presidents Prof. Dr. Jetta Frost (knowledge exchange and career paths) and Prof. Dr. Natalia Filatkina (studies and teaching) about their experiences and how to balance their athletic and academic pursuits.
“As a partner institution for elite sports, we see promoting our talent as an essential bridge between academia and society. By taking part in international competitions, they spread our name and our values throughout the larger world. We extend a special thanks to the Olympiastützpunkt Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein, with whom we enjoy outstanding cooperation and who actively support our elite athletes,” said Heekeren.
Partner institutions for elite sports
As part of this cooperation agreement, a collaborative system to provide reasonable accommodations for roughly 1,200 elite student athletes at 116 member universities in the German sport association (adh) is currently being developed. The cooperation partner, including, as a rule, the adh, universities, Olympic centers, student services, and professional associations enable the students to complete their academic studies despite the major time commitment of elite sports.
