Niedersachsen Integration Prize: Institute for Movement Education and Sports Science honoured

The Institute for Sports Science and Movement Education at Technical University of Braunschweig has received the special prize of the LandesSportBund Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony State Sports Federation) as part of the “Niedersachsen Integration Prize 2025 – More opportunities for children and young people through education and language!” The award is endowed with 6,000 euros. The award ceremony is planned for September 2025 as part of a festive event at the Old Town Hall in Hannover.

The Institute for Sports Science and Movement Education demonstrates how movement promotes language. Photo credit: Markus Hörster/TU Braunschweig

Since 2016, the Institute for Sports Science and Movement Education has been combining language support and movement to create an innovative German as a second language (DaZ) course for primary schools with a high proportion of migrant children through the project “Bewegung und Sprachförderung” (BuS). Students design weekly, free sessions at up to five schools. Movement-based learning settings, such as movement theatre, cooperative tasks or movement construction sites, create playful opportunities for conversation that strengthen language practice and social skills. Each child receives an individual support profile, which is used in close consultation with the DaZ teachers to tailor the content to their needs. A support ratio of 1:5 ensures intensive supervision.

130 applications for the Integration Prize

The Niedersachsen Integration Prize is endowed with a total of 24,000 euros, with four projects receiving 6,000 euros each. In addition, the LandesSportBund Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony State Sports Federation) and the “Niedersachsen packt an” alliance each present a special prize.

From 130 applications, the jury selected the following winners: Kindertafel Paul-Gerhardt-Haus (Lüneburg), Up to help e.V. (Oldenburg), IKJA e.V. (Hannover), Bildungshelden gGmbH (Salzgitter). The special prize from the “Niedersachsen packt an” alliance was awarded to Kids Club Vahrenheide in Hannover.

With this competition, Niedersachsen honours sustainable projects and committed individuals who have made a special contribution to the education and language development of children and young people with a migrant background through their voluntary or full-time work and innovative ideas. These projects contribute to improving equal opportunities and are intended to serve as role models.