"The sport sciences have much to offer within the field of occupational health management. However, we must still become more visible," says Prof. Dr. Filip Mess. Accompanied by Prof. Dr. Lutz Vogt, they directed the 5th Interdisciplinary dvs Expert Workshop on Friday, June 8. The "Health Committee" of the German Society of Sport Science (dvs) invited around 85 people throughout Germany to meet in Frankfurt through their two spokespersons Prof. Mess and Prof. Vogt.
Five years ago, the dvs called to life the format of the "Interdisciplinary Expert Workshop". Since then, once a year, they invite a group to discuss an ever changing topic. "One of the large strengths of this format is the interdisciplinary exchange, where completely different occupational groups get together," describes Mess. Participants in the workshop concerned with "where sports science will be located in the future field of occupational health management - recognizing challenges - building of networks - initiating new projects" work for example at universities, in health insurance companies, in politics, in the health management of enterprises or with sports federations.
Sport scientists are predestined to work in the field of occupational health management
For the field of occupational health management, Mess demands that the sports sciences must position themselves even more intensively. "Other parties are frequently not aware at all of which competencies, experiences and scientific projects we have within this field." As a result, the sports sciences are not recognized as equals. "In practice, it can actually be seen that, especially sport scientists, are predestined for this field. In their field, they are used to working in interdisciplinary cooperation and understand how to unite different participants. In addition, they have the soft skills in order to communicate as well as to interact with others, and also have the scientific know-how needed in order to accompany health-referred projects - from planning to the evaluation," describes Mess. Not only for graduates in the sports sciences, but also for those in the health sciences, occupational health management is an attractive job market, to which they are accessible as a result of their competencies, Mess finds, who is also Dean of Students in teaching professions at the Department of Sport and Health Sciences.
As a consequence of the workshop in Frankfurt, the dvs is now preparing a first-position paper on occupational health management. In the coming years, the topic is to be intensified on the agenda for education and research.
To the Homepage of the Chair of Sport and Health Didactics
To the Homepage of the Interdisciplinary Expert Workshop
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Filip Mess
Chair of Sport and Health Didactics
Georg-Brauchle Ring 60/62
80992 Munich
Telephone: 089 289 24520
Email: Filip.Mess(at)tum.de
Text: Fabian Kautz
Photo: dvs