Prof. B. Vanreusel

The research projects of the department of Sport and

Movement Sciences focus around a biocultural approach to humanmovement, expressed in applied

fields as sports, movement education, physical activity and

health, play, coaching, and sport policy and management. In recent

years, this area of research has been identified with the term

kinesiology. The human kinesiologydepartment fulfils a threefold mission:

1) Scientific research in the domain of human movement

2) Education3) Services for physical education,

the promotion of healthy movement, management and policy, and coaching athletes and sport teams.

Although the department is rathersmall, its research projects can be realized by bundling themes

and by cooperating with externalpartners. The implementation and

evaluation of evidence-based concept renewals in physical

activity and sports is an example of an important joint research theme.

Furthermore, we have a well-established network of

contacts with other departments and research units, nationally as

well as internationally.

Group Biomedical Sciences

Department of Human KinesiologyI Research profile and divisions

The research questions and the methods usedrely on the knowledge of the human sciences.The research includes doctoral projects andmore fundamental studies, as well as appliedresearch. Furthermore, policy-oriented contract studies for different customers are carried out, e.g. for sport federations,interuniversity projects, and the EuropeanUnion.The members of the department are active in the international scientific associations oftheir field of study.The Human Kinesiology department focuseson a homogeneous research domain con-cerning content as well as methodology,translated into four thematic units:

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT PEDAGOGY (PROF. D. BEHETS)Core business:• experimental research on educational tools

and teaching methods in physical education(e.g. in tennis, swimming for disabled,swimming and life saving).

• evidence-based research on features andinterventions regarding a healthy and activelife style for children of school age

SPORT AND MOVEMENT PSYCHOLOGYAND COACHING (PROF. F. BOEN)Core business:• research on psychological processes in

competitive sports: personality diagnosticsand typology, communication and emotionmanagement

• promotion and intervention regarding healthand active lifestyle in different populations

• research on coaching aspects and decisionmaking in competition sports.

SOCIAL KINESIOLOGY AND SPORT MANAGEMENT (PROF. B. VANREUSEL)Core business:• sociological studies on participation,

non participation, socialisation, integration and social inequality in sport and movement culture

• research on the role of sports in projects of development cooperation

• social economic research on the relation-ship between government, market and civilsociety and sport management and policy

• economic analysis of professional sports• sports marketing and marketing

communication• Employment in the sports sector as

a social economic growth sector• research on the profile and the activities of

recreational sports federations

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HISTORIC KINESIOLOGY AND SPORTSHISTORY (PROF. R. RENSON)Core business: • study of movement culture (traditional

games, gymnastics, dance, modern sports)in its historical and socio-cultural contextHistoric and comparative analysis of thescientific and epistemological paradigmsand concepts of human movement science(kinesiology) and physical education

I Collaboration and users

The Research Centre for the History of Sport and Kinesiology has two spin offs: the Flemish Folk Games Central and the Sports Museum Flanders. Both institutionshave been instrumental in realizing the Sportimonium in Hofstade, a publicmuseum, which actively preserves the sports heritage in Flanders.

The reserach unit Movement and Sport Psychology and Coaching cooperates withK.U.Leuven’s top-class sport advise andcounselling centre.

I Figures

Senior academic staff: 12Researchers: 1 postdoctoral fellow, 25 research and/or teaching assistants

I Contact

Department of HumanKinesiology

Tervuursevest 101B-3000 Leuven

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