International PhD Program Science and Health in Football

The international doctoral program Science and Health in Football is hosted by the Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine at Saarland University, Saarbruecken (Germany). Close collaborations are established with the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, the University of Technology in Sydney (Australia), Edith-Cowan University in Perth (Australia), the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (Norway) and the University of Basle (Switzerland). The University of Technology Sydney and Saarland University further agreed on a shared PhD program offering the possibility for a double degree from both Universities. The progam aims at improving the scientific approach to football, in particular at evaluating its potential health benefits and at further developing training standards and performance diagnosis for elite football players.

Call for applications!

Although head injuries (in particular concussions) and their management have become a major topic in sports medicine research over the last years, there is still a lack of published data with clinical relevance. This is particularly true for football (soccer) in comparison to collision sports with higher incidences of concussions like rugby or Australian Rules Football. In early 2023, the German Football League (Deutsche Fußball Liga; DFL) has published the so-called ‘DFL protocol’ to guide team physicians in the management of football-related head injuries. However, it has not yet been investigated how effective the current procedure is. In addition, DFL has co-funded the SoccHealth branch of the NAKO cohort study which has been conducted in 350 former professional players and may be supportive in assessing, if neurodegeneration occurs more frequent in former players than in matched controls. It will be the task of the PhD candidate to set-up a proper research agenda ("proposal") within the first 6 months which is then defended and finally carried out in collaboration with the supervisors and other involved parties. For further information on requirements check Requirements for applications.

About the program
Requirements for applications
Guide for submitting applications
PhD projects
Fees & Insurances
Current students projects
Football Quarterly