The partnership will focus on joint projects in the areas of research, communication, events and networking. Students at OTH Regensburg will gain greater insight into the structures of elite and grassroots sport and have the opportunity to carry out projects, research, and Bachelor’s and Master’s theses in collaboration with the club. Topics such as sports science, sports management, communication and sponsorship offer numerous opportunities for this.
In future, OTH Regensburg will act as the “Official University Partner of NawaRo Straubing”, whilst the Bundesliga volleyball club will act as the “Official Cooperation Partner of OTH Regensburg”. Both partners aim to integrate their networks more closely and promote joint content on digital channels and at events.
New opportunities also arise for the players: they will gain access to information about degree programmes, further education opportunities and individual academic prospects at OTH Regensburg. At the same time, students will benefit from practical experience in a professional sporting environment, as well as potential internships and working student positions. At OTH Regensburg, Prof. Dr Thomas Groll from the Faculty of Business and Management will be a key point of contact. Prof. Groll’s research focuses, among other things, on internationalisation strategies in professional and competitive sport.
“The link between the university and elite sport opens up great potential, both for innovative research projects and for the personal development of young people,” says Prof. Dr Ralph Schneider, President of OTH Regensburg. “In NawaRo Straubing, we are gaining a committed partner who combines sporting passion, team spirit and professional structures excellently with our practice-oriented university profile.”
NawaRo Straubing also views the partnership as an important step. “Competitive sport and academic education complement each other perfectly. It is important to us that our players focus intensively on their professional future alongside their sporting careers,” says sporting director Bart-Jan van der Mark. “The collaboration with OTH Regensburg creates valuable opportunities for this and simultaneously strengthens the link between sport, education and the entire region.”
The partnership underscores the close link between academia, youth development and elite sport in Eastern Bavaria. Both partners intend to continuously expand their collaboration in the coming months and launch their first joint projects.
