About the Summit
GSUN‘26 Summit
Leading Sport in a Global Society
Societal Impact • Collaboration in a Global Society • Transferring Research and Education to Practice • Governance of Sport • How Does Industry Access Research? • Entrepreneurship • Media and Communication
Hosted by German Sport University Cologne
7-8 October, 2026
The Summit is an annual conference which connects international academic experts from around the globe in all related areas of sports science including engineering, technology and human performance, sports business, humanities, law, journalism and more, with industry leaders, sports leagues and federations, and members of the media. The unique solution-oriented experience features:
Facilitated sessions designed to engage all participants.
2 plenary sessions
Panels made up of at least two university representatives from at least 2 different institutions and at least one external stakeholder. Panels run in concurrent sessions to larger groups of participants with 45 minutes of total presentation time and 15 minutes of question and answer.
Workshops made up of at least two university representatives from at least 2 different institutions and at least one external stakeholder. Workshops run in concurrent sessions to smaller groups with 20 minutes of total pitch-presentation time and 40 minutes of guided discussion. Workshops are intended to engage all participants in a provocative, output-oriented dialogue.
Networking opportunities
1 year associate membership in the Global Sport University Network
VIP networking opportunities for Congress and Leadership Council members
Steering Committee
Tobias Vogt
Chair, German Sport University Cologne
Eva Engelmeyer
German Sport University Cologne
Okseon Lee
Seoul National University
Bill Sheel
University of British Columbia
Chris Linton
Loughborough University
Ken Kozloff
University of Michigan
Masashi Miyashita
Waseda University
Lauren Sherar
Loughborough University
Registration Information
Registration fees:
Congress and Leadership Council Members (beyond 2 complimentary delegates)
Early Bird:€420 (including VAT)
After 30 June: €490 (including VAT))
Associate Members and Non Members (includes one year Associate Membership)
Early Bird: €470 (including VAT)
After 30 June: €540 (including VAT)
Registration includes:
2 full days of keynotes, panels, workshops and networking sessions
2 morning tea and afternoon coffee breaks with snacks
2 lunches
1 dinner
1 post summit networking session with drinks and snacks
Optional 1-2 Early Bird Sport Sessions
GSUN’26 Summit Sponsors
Travel Information
GSUN Summit runs from the morning of 7 October through the evening of 8 October. Leadership Council and Congress members should plan on arriving for a networking excursion the evening of 6 October. View schedule here.
Cologne, Germany is easily accessible by air and trains. Fly into Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)(connected to the city center by a 15-minute train) or Frankfurt Airport (FRA) (connected to the city by 1-hour high-speed train). Cologne Hauptbahnhof (main train station) serves major European cities directly, including Amsterdam and Paris.
Accommodations
Cologne offers a variety of hotel options in a range of rates. German Sport University is easily accessible from the city center by tram.
Search hotel options near the GSUN Summit with our official hotel booking partner KUONI Tumlare Congress via HotelMap.
German Sport University Cologne
With more than 6000 students from 93 countries, the German Sport University Cologne (GSU) is an outstanding university location both nationally and internationally. The GSU stands for evidence-based research with a high volume of third-party funding and research-based as well as international teaching in sports practice and in all social and life science sub-disciplines of sport science. Research, teaching, and transfer are supported by the administration and central operating units with their services.
Past Summit Locations
2025 University of Queensland
GSUN’25 Summit Summary and Photos
2024 University of Oregon (Inaugural Summit)
Attendees representing 21 countries and 50 institutions gathered to discuss Inclusivity in Sport Performance.
GSUN’24 Session Summaries and Photos