Collaboration

Top performance meets top education: OTH Regensburg and ESV 1927 Regensburg cooperate

Bavaria's best female handball players and the most popular university in the state according to the StudyCheck Award 2025 are joining forces: OTH Regensburg and the women's Bundesliga handball club ESV 1927 Regensburg have entered into a partnership that combines sporting excellence with academic support.

The ‘Bunkerladies’ of ESV 1927 Regensburg have been among the top 20 teams in Germany for four years and finished seventh in the 2024/25 season – exactly the same position that OTH Regensburg occupies in the national university rankings. ‘We are very proud of the cooperation with OTH Regensburg and hope for numerous points of contact and joint projects,’ said ESV department head Dieter Müller at the signing of the cooperation agreement.


The focus is on joint projects in the areas of research, communication, events and networks. In future, OTH Regensburg will act as the ‘Official University Partner of ESV’ and the Bunkerladies as the ‘Official Cooperation Partner of OTH Regensburg’. Research and practice will be closely linked: bachelor's and master's theses as well as studies and projects related to professional and junior handball will be planned and implemented jointly. Students will benefit from competitions, ticket promotions, job offers and events that promote exchange between sport and study. Both partners will promote each other on their digital channels, social networks and at events to create joint visibility. Players from ESV 1927 Regensburg will have access to information about courses and further education opportunities at OTH Regensburg.


‘OTH Regensburg sees itself as an active part of society – and that includes promoting young talent in sport. The cooperation with ESV 1927 Regensburg is a strong sign of the connection between academic education and sporting passion. We look forward to working together to create perspectives that extend beyond the playing field,’ says Prof. Dr. Ralph Schneider, President of OTH Regensburg.


Robert Torunsky, sporting director of ESV 1927 Regensburg, also emphasises the importance of academic prospects: "In women's handball, the professional component is particularly important, as the players are not professionals. That's why it's crucial to find a degree programme that matches your strengths. OTH Regensburg offers a wide range of modern degree programmes in the fields of engineering, economics and healthcare, where many of our sponsors are also based, creating further synergy effects. Individual study counselling and the network of this renowned university are – in addition to an ambitious club and a beautiful city – important assets in convincing players to come to Regensburg."

The bunker ladies of ESV 1927 Regensburg reveal themselves as fans of OTH Regensburg in a group photo. Photo: H.C. Wagner/OTH Regensburg
A strong team: ESV department head Dieter Müller (left) and OTH President Prof. Dr. Ralph Schneider seal the cooperation between the university and the Bundesliga handball club. Photo: H.C. Wagner/OTH Regensburg