With the comprehensive refurbishment of its sports facilities, the University of Bayreuth has entered a new phase of campus development. With a total budget of just under 2 million euros, key areas of the sports grounds will be modernized over the coming years and adapted to the needs of a future-oriented sports and exercise environment. Now that the refurbished main grass pitch will be ready for use in teaching and university sports by the summer semester of 2026, further work is beginning to restructure and upgrade the entire area.
An important step is the modernization of the athletics facilities. The existing standard facility, comprising six running tracks, will be redesigned to meet current needs with two synthetic tracks. The space freed up will allow for the construction of a Finnish track, which will enhance the venue with a joint-friendly running circuit and further round off the range of sporting activities on offer. In addition, four 100-metre sprint tracks will be integrated, ensuring there are ample opportunities for further disciplines here too.
The quality of the two curved sections of the running track will also be significantly improved: On one side, a small-field artificial turf pitch is being created for teaching and university sports activities; on the opposite side, a new area with equipment for calisthenics, Ninja Warrior and Hyrox is being designed, inviting both students and staff to take part in contemporary exercise activities and enabling the practical teaching of modern fitness programmes. In addition, the jumping facilities for the long jump, high jump and pole vault, as well as the shot put and throwing area, will be refurbished. In the spirit of modern multifunctionality, two 3x3 basketball courts will be integrated into the run-up area for the jumps.
For the University of Bayreuth, this refurbishment is a key step towards modernizing the entire sports complex. “We are making targeted investments here, particularly in these times, so that we can offer our students and staff the best possible conditions in the long term,” emphasises Dr. Nicole Kaiser, Provost of the University of Bayreuth. “The fact that we are now making visible progress with this project sends an important signal: we are moving with the times, we are delivering quality, and we are doing so responsibly and sustainably.”
From a sports science perspective, too, the refurbishment represents significant progress. Prof. Dr. Tim Ströbel, Director of BaySpo, highlights how important modern sports facilities are for research, teaching and university sport: “The refurbishment and modernisation of the sports facilities enable us to offer students and staff an environment that meets the current standards of sports science. The new training areas strengthen both our location and the appeal of our degree programmes.”
