Prof. Dr. phil, Dr. hc Roland Naul

Curriculum Vita

Date of Birth: 26.11.1948

Education:

• 1968: Abitur degree at Bocholt /Germany
• 1968 – 1972: PE Studies at the University of Münster
• 1968 – 1974:  Studies in pedagogy, psychology, sociology, sports medicine and Russian language at the University of Münster
• 1974: M.A. degree in pedagogy, sociology and sports medicine (University of Münster)
• 1978: doctoral degree (Dr. phil.) in pedagogy, sociology and sports medicine (University of Münster)

Practical & teaching experiences:

• 1975 – 1980: working as a research assistant in curriculum development and evaluation studies at the unit „Wissenschaftliche Begleitung Kollegstufe NW“ (scientific assistance of the College School implementation in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia) at the faculty of pedagogy, sociology and journalism at the University of Münster; Germany.
• 1980–2013: University Professor for Sport Science and Sport Pedagogy at the University of Essen (2003), later  University of Duisburg-Essen (2003-2013), Germany.
• 2013- 2020: Senior Professor for EU-Studies in Physical Education and Youth Sport at the Institute of Sport & Exercise Sciences at the University of Muenster, Germany.

Furthermore, I served on different national and international boards such as:

• student founding member of the German Society of Sport Psychology (asp, 1969)
• founding and board member of the Commission of Sport Pedagogy in the German Society of Educational Science (DGfE, 1978-1986)
• founding member and chair person (1985-1987; 2005-2009) of the Commission of Football in the German Society of Sport Science (dvs, 2005-2009)
• member of the School Football Commission of the German Football Association (DFB, 2006-2008)
• President of the International Committee of Sport Pedagogy (1992-1996)
• Western European Director of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE, 2000-2004)
• Vice-President of the International Society of Comparative Physical Education and Sport (ISCPES, 1992–1996 and 2000-2004)
• Bestuurslid of the Dutch Foundation of “gkgk Nederland” (2014- 2023)
• Secretary General and President of CEREPS (Conseil europeén des recherches en education physique et sportive) (Secretary General 2015-2023; President 2023- 2026).
• founder of the Willibald-Gebhardt Research Institute (WGI) at Essen (1992), from 1992-2013 chair person, form 2013-2016 board member of the Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute; later Deputy President of the International Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute at Münster and Vice-President of Olympic Studies at the International Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute at Münster (2017-2021).

 Memberships in various international commissions / expert groups

During the past years I worked as a member in various international commissions and expert groups, especially to mention the European Committee of Physical Education (1993-2001); expert group of the European Commission EAC on „EU-Physical Activity Guidelines” (2006–2008), the IOC–Review Group for the IOC textbook “Teaching Values. An Olympic Education Toolkit” (I. 2006–2007, II. 2015-2016) and the EC EAC expert group „Monitoring the EU PA Guidelines (2012-2013).

Visiting professorships

The following universities invited me as their visiting professor: Martin Luther University at Halle/Saale Germany, University of Ghent (Belgium), Israeli Sport University in Netanya, Israel, the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Seoul National University, South Korea;  Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

 Awards and Prices

In 2003 I was awarded the silver medal of the Charles University in Prague for my European studies in PE and sports and in 2008 the gold medal of the Czech Olympic Academy for my work on and support of Olympic education. In 2004 I received the ICSSPE Service Award during the Pre-Olympic Congress in Thessaloniki (GR), in 2012 the Honouree Plaque of the European Academy of Sports, Velen (DE). In 2017 Charles Univ. of Prague awarded me a honorary doctorate (Dr. h.c.) for my European and Olympic studies and the Gold Medal of the Univ. The European Network of Sport Academies awarded me a honorary plaque for my cross-cultural studies on healthy children in sound communities in the state of Brandenburg and West-Poland (2019). In 2022 the AIESEP Executive Board elected me as AIESEP Fellow.

Publications

I published more than 550 mainly peer reviewed papers/journal articles/book chapters including 35 books/anthologies in 13 different languages on the history, curriculum and extra-curricular development of German and European-based physical education, school-based sports of soccer and volleyball, physical fitness and HEPA for children and adolescents, also with a focus on Olympic education. Nine of the 18 volumes of the Willibald Gebhardt Book Series were published by me (volumes 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13, 15, 16, 17).

Invited Lectures

As an invited speaker I lectured on various international conferences and Pre-Olympic scientific congresses, including sessions of Olympic Pedagogy at the IOA (Olympia) and their Olympic Master Programme as well as at ACSM, ECSS, and APCESS annual congresses, ICSEMIS conferences in Guangzhou (2008) and Glasgow (2012), at four Global Forums of Physical Education Pedagogy (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016) and on behalf of different national and EU–based bodies of education, health and sport (e.g. DVS, AIESEP, EC EAC, EUPEA, KVLO, ENGSO Youth, HEPA-Europe and some National Olympic Academies) including some CEREPS Summits between the years 2016 to 2026.

Editorial Works

Co-editorship of four book series (German and American Studies in Sport, publisher: Waxmann, Germany; Sport Science International, publisher: Lang, Germany; Book Series of the Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute, publisher: Meyer & Meyer, Germany, CEREPS Book Series, publisher Meyer & Meyer). With Taylor & Francis publisher (Routledge) two anthologies on “Sport and Physical Education in Germany” (2002) and “Olympic education: an international review” (2017/8). As a member of several editorial boards of journals: African Journal of Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance (1996-2010);  European Review in Physical Education (UK, 1995-2015);  Acta Universitas Carolinae, Kinanthropologica and Ceska Kinantropologie (Czech Republic, since 1998 and 2000 ); New Medicine (Journal of the Polish Association for Health Education, 2007-2015); Medyczna Sportowa (Polish Journal of Sport Medicine, 2007-2015); International Journal of Sport and Health Science (Japan, 2008-2016); Global Journal of Health & Physical Education Pedagogy (USA, 2012-2014); Graduate Journal of Sport & Exercise Science (UK, since 2012). Peer reviews for further journals: „Sportwissenschaft „(German Journal of Sport Science) (GER), „Scandinavian Journal of Public Health“ (DEN); „Journal of Physical Activity“ (USA), „Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education“ (USA), „Obesity facts“ (SUI/GER), „Psychology of Sport & Exercise Science“ (NED), Physical Education & Sport Pedagogy“ (UK) . In Dec. 2012 Routledge Publishing House (ROSOonline) elected me as their „editor of the month“.

Teaching and Research

My research topics align in general with the main areas of my teaching fields, considering especially national and international physical education, Olympic education, physical fitness and HEPA of children and youth, youth sport in Germany and in the EU. Main topics of my research studies have been: extension of the multi-component concept/multi-sectoral intervention strategy of HCSC/gkgk/zdzg at selected primary schools and different communities in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and China; implementation of daily physical activities of 60 up to 90 minutes for national and international primary school children and the inauguration of an international online-tool for individual, web-based monitoring of healthy lifestyles for children and adolescents and institutional monitoring of HEPA for schools, sport clubs, and local offices of communities (http//: www.gkgk-online.com). My work on HEPA included a BMBF-monitoring study as partner of a consortium group (CombaNeT, 2015-2018). In cooperation with the Univ. of Luxembourg and as a part of the CEREPS research committee I finished a European-wide review on research of physical education and school sport in 2020.

Bibliographic Note

Scheuer, C. & Dreiskämper, D. (eds.) (2019). Schola Ludens Europaea: Papers dedicated to Roland Naul. Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer. (Jubilee publication on the 70^th birthday of Roland Naul)

Projects

• European WGI Projects
• International WGI Projects
• WGI HEPA Projects
• Erasmus+ Project “EduPASS”
• International CEREPS Summit 2026
• WGI Olympic Study Center