In 2016, Prof. Dr. Ansgar Schwirtz was re-elected as Dean of the Department of Sport and Health Sciences. In the course of the interview, the head of the professorship for biomechanics in sport took stock of his first three years as the head of the department, as well as of the development of the new building, and formulated his goals and wishes for the coming three years.

Dean, what does this reelection mean for you?

"This has pleased me very much. The confirmation in the office is a very high personal recognition from the board for me. I have experienced the last three years as being very positive. In my opinion, the department has developed in both of its main scientific focuses, 'the sport sciences' and 'the health sciences'. And I would be happy to continue on this pathway for further years."

Where does the department currently stand from your point of view?

"First, we have grown further through new appointments. This was a very important step, because now, with regard to the professorship as a department, we have reached dimensions which allow us to act as a normal player in the context of the other TUM departments. This is then perceptible, for example, at the meetings of the overall university management and in the round of the other deans. We are taken seriously!

Even if we are, of course, still one of the smaller departments. There are in the TUM faculties who are clearly older and which have sometimes produced even Nobel Prize Laureates."

Has the perception also changed outside of the TU Munich?

"I think so. We are perceived, for example, in the working group of the 'Sport Sciences' in Bavaria as a relatively central institution. We are a well-sought after and dependable partner for the professional sports in a variety of different projects. In the area of the health sciences, we address important topics, especially in prevention - from overweight up to cancer. And we, in the meantime, are looked upon - also by our newly-appointed professors - as a department which may express itself on these important subjects, can express itself and, in many cases, even must express itself. I think, we also do justice to this responsibility. For example, also through national and international congresses."

Which is represented through the growing number by the professorships of the department?

"Correct. And this documents our positive development once again. We have now also successfully applied for the Sports-Scientific University Day which takes place next year at the TU Munich. This is one of these projects which we can only shoulder because we have developed as a department and have grown. Only a few years ago, this would not have been possible."

Is it one of the aims of the department that other large events will be planned in the future?

"Absolutely. We want to be more visible both nationwide and internationally and to become even more attractive. This is the goal. On the one hand, for students, but of course also for renowned researchers to carry out common projects. And for this purpose, big events may occasionally be arranged in order to 'show one's colors'. So far, this was naturally difficult up to now with our old building. Here, I hope that our new building will provide other impulses and possibilities."

The new building of the campus TUM in Olympic Park is certainly one of the great challenges of your first term of office. How do you assess the development here?

"Speeding-up the development of the new building was a great joy for me, but it has also cost me quite a bit of strength. We concluded the bidding and the following competition from the architect's offices, already in 2015. In parallel, we additionally submitted many applications at the suitable places, for example, with a look at the financing from the ministries as well as from the TU Munich. Up to now, we have been able to could achieve our important milestones."

How does the other schedule look?

"The present state is that all documents have been submitted - as the last, the so-called 'HU construction (the budgetary framework for construction)'. This is a plan in which everything is has been demonstrated, up to every single electrical outlet. In December, the committee on budget and finance questions of the Bavarian Parliament has granted the means for the new building in full.

As a next step, the building site will be set up beginning in March 2017 and the gymnastics/dance hall will be torn down first. Then, probably in September 2017, we will celebrate two large excavation sites and hopefully already the laying of the foundation stone.

All sport halls should then stand by 2019. The lessons until then will be carried out in the existing halls, and we, as an institute, will remain at Georg-Brauchle Ring. From 2019, the old halls will be torn down and the institutional buildings will be constructed sites. This should be finished by 2022."

The new construction will therefore be one of the central topics for the coming three years?

"Yes. This will continue to occupy us in the future. And one of the big challenges will be to fulfill the different demands of the various project partners like staff members, investors and architects.

At the same time, I am especially glad that we will strengthen the bridge between theory and practice in the future and fill it further with life, since the complex of buildings is so designed that both fields can be intensely developed. We will obtain a modern campus with a unique atmosphere. With the new buildings we will establish an important cornerstone for the future."

At which other aims will you aim than dean?

"I want to see that the department continues to grow. But not at any price. But rather a growth, for example, in the field of research activities.I would like to hereby optimize the status quo so far that my colleagues would have the suitable leeway for their research activities. The fact that we become even more visible both nationwide and internationally.

At the same time, I hope that we will improve in the field of publications - here, we are already at a very good level - and in obtaining further third-party funding. For the acquisition of third-party funds, our lab activities will certainly stabilize the conditions by all means.

As a third point, I would further strengthen our mass appeal further outwards. We address important subjects and want to be perceived for this even more intensely, namely through our competency."

What are you glad about in your next term of office?

"I am glad about the helpful cooperation of our staff. The University Day here is a great possibility to show that we function as a team. And, aside from this, we have, at the same time, quite different disciplinary orientations."

A final question for the dean: If you had a free wish, what would this be?

[Contemplating:] "My main wish is that everybody feels comfortable and comes to work with pleasure. So that they can fulfill their respective activities successfully on this basis."