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Institutes for Sports Science and Applied Geosciences affected
Darmstadt, December 19, 2025. Due to massive cuts in state funding through the Hessian Higher Education Pact 2026–2031, Institute of Sports Science (IfS) and the Institute of Applied Geosciences (IAG) are affected . These decisions mark the conclusion of a university-wide discussion process lasting several months.
The Institute for Sports Science will be closed
Institute of Sports Science, located within the Department of Human Sciences, is scheduled to close on December 31, 2026. Vacant professorships, or those becoming vacant during 2026, will not be filled. The remaining professors are expected to continue their teaching and research activities in other areas of TU Darmstadt.
Reorientation of Applied Geosciences
Institute of Applied Geosciences within the Department of Materials and Geosciences will also December 31, 2026. The institute's professorships will be transferred to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering on January 1, 2027. This will ensure that geoscientific expertise remains at TU Darmstadt, albeit in a smaller form, and will be further developed there in research and teaching.
Study programs are being discontinued
The sports science degree programs , as well as the Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in Applied Geosciences, will be discontinued at the earliest possible date. TU Darmstadt will ensure that all currently enrolled students can complete their studies within the standard period of study plus two semesters .
Accompanying the changes
In both affected areas, the Executive Board, together with the staff, is initiating a process for implementing the agreed measures. This process will be supported by the relevant departments of the university.
Background: Hessian Higher Education Pact 2026–2031
The Hessian Higher Education Pact 2026–2031 is leading to significant budget cuts at universities throughout the state. The financial constraints necessitate permanent structural savings . Against this backdrop, the Executive Board of TU Darmstadt has launched the "Focus Project" to better focus the university on its core competencies and its academic profile. The aim is to manage the pressure to cut costs in such a way that the overall impact on the university remains as minimal as possible.
About TU Darmstadt
TU Darmstadt is one of the leading technical universities in Germany and stands for excellent and socially relevant science . Its research is focused on three fields: Energy and Environment (E+E) , Information and Intelligence (I+I) , and Matter and Materials (M+M) . Since its founding in 1877, the university has had a strong international orientation and, together with its partners in the Rhine-Main universities, is further developing the Frankfurt-Rhine-Main science region.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PM/TU)
