Participation in the run was organised by UniSport. The initiative for joint participation once again came from University Vice-President for Administration and Finance Dr Ursula Löffler, who completed the race course herself alongside the other team members. The university team’s participation was made possible by financial support from the Friends and Alumni of the University of Wuppertal (FABU).

The Schwebebahn Run has been one of the largest mass sporting events in Wuppertal for many years and offers numerous companies, institutions and organisations the opportunity to present themselves to the public together. The university of Wuppertal also deliberately uses the event as a platform to raise its profile.

The vice-president for administration and finance emphasises: “By taking part in the Schwebebahn Run, we are demonstrating that the university of Wuppertal is an active part of city life in Wuppertal. At the same time, the event creates an opportunity to bring together people from all areas of our university. This combination of external visibility and internal community is what makes such events so valuable.”

For UniSport, the focus is above all on the unifying effect of joint activities. The fact that students, staff and alumni take to the starting line together underlines the special role of sport as a meeting place within the university. Dennis Fink, Head of UniSport at the university of Wuppertal, is delighted with the great response: “It is particularly pleasing that people come together here who would not normally meet in everyday university life. It is precisely these encounters that make the university sports centre an important part of campus life and demonstrate how sport can foster a sense of community across status groups and academic departments.”