The first forerunner of the Institute of Sport Science was the "Institute of Physical Education" at the then Hanover Technical University (TH), founded in 1925. At that time, physical education (mainly gymnastics, athletics and ball games) was a compulsory subject for all (!) students, who had to complete these courses over two semesters as proof of the "preliminary examination" for the later examination. To mark the centenary of the TH Hannover, a university stadium with gymnasium and institute building was built in 1931/32, which has since undergone structural changes and renovations. In 1956, the first "real" sports teachers were trained in Hanover - the number of first-year students was initially three female and six male. The "Institute for Sports Science" finally emerged from this institution in the 1970s when the first full professorships were filled.
The students have two large sports halls, a gymnastics room, a weight room and a huge selection of equipment and aids at their disposal for studying and, in "idle times", also for free practice, training and playing. In addition, university sports and sports students jointly use a large athletics sports facility with its own tartan track, high jump and throwing facilities, several football pitches and tennis courts.
The dynamic development of sports science in Hanover is currently manifested in the expansion of personnel and spatial resources, including the establishment of a new degree programme for winter semester 2019/2020 and a further expansion of the current new building.