Wuhan Sports University

History

Wuhan Sports University's origins can be traced back to Zhongnan Institute of Physical Education, in Nanchang City, Jiangxi province. The Zhongnan Institute was formed in 1953. Shortly after, in 1955, the institute moved to its present site in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and changed its name to the Wuhan Institute of Physical Education (WIPE) in February 1956. WIPE was formerly administered by the National General Administration of Sports and, now it turned to be under the administration of both the National General Administration of Sports and the Hubei Provincial Government in the year 2001. In the year 1985, WIPE started its first art major; Sport Management. Since then several other art majors emerged, such as sport psychology, sport English and sport Economics, till the newest Sport Advertising. And this is a quintessence of ongoing reform of Tertiary educational institutions in China, whose aim is to combine USSR-style specific school into comprehensive institution.

Academics

Reputation and Rankings

Wuhan Sports University enjoys a solid reputation in China’s sports education and research landscape. It is especially renowned for its sports education research, computational sports science research, and contributions to elite athlete development.

In 2023, It was ranked amont the top 200 institutions worldwide in 2023 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments and placed 4th nationally in China according to the XYH 2023 China Physical Education University Ranking.

Academic Organization structure

The institute has 8 colleges, 2 faculties, 3 departments and 2 schools, 15 educational and teaching units. The names of these units are listed as follow:

• Physical Education College ()
• Sports Training College ()
• Chinese Martial Arts College ()
• Gymnastics College ()
• School of Sports Economy & Management ()
• College of Health Science ()
• Competitive Sports School ()
• Adult Education School ()
• Sports Information & Technology Faculty ()
• Sports Journalism & Foreign Language Faculty ()
• the Postgraduate Department ()
• Political Theory Department ()
• Training Department ()

Since 2006, WIPE launched its 3+1 cooperative education programme with University of the West of England. Students enrolled as its "3+1" project participants will study at Wuhan for the first 3 years and then go to UWE for the last year of study. In autumn semester of 2009, the first 15 students participated in the 3+1 project in 2006 were sent to UWE. WIPE was largely aimed for education of undergraduate level, and its graduate school, though famous in a time during the 1980s, was increasingly eclipsed by Beijing Sports University. However, in 2006, WIPE was authorized for the conferment of doctor's degree.

School Assets

As of December 31, 2024, Wuhan Sports University occupies a building area of 657,862.91 square meters, of which: the office building area is 16,907.16 square meters, and others are 640,955.75 square meters. There are 21 official vehicles, including 2 vehicles for main leading cadres, 8 vehicles for emergency support, 3 vehicles for special professional technical use, and 8 other vehicles. The other vehicles are mainly non-motorized vehicles such as two-wheeled electric campus patrol vehicles and garbage collection electric vehicles. There are 83 units (sets) of general equipment with a unit price of over 500,000 yuan, and 32 units (sets) of special equipment with a unit price of over 1 million yuan.

Natatorium

Institute's indoor swimming pool, constructed in 1984 and put into service since 1986, is a combination of public and competition pool. The pool is maintained in constant temperature. It was then the largest swimming pool in China equipped with solar heating system, which were able to heat 70 tons of hot water daily according to its original design. Affiliated to and overseen by teaching and researching section of swimming in the institution, the Swimming pool have been run by a private contractor., especially in summer. Athletes here have competed in different level of swimming event as well as less publicized fin swimming competition, having attained phenomenal accomplishments such as 10 world champions. There were 6 world records, 4 Asian records and 5 national records kept here.

Recently criticisms arose in the local media concerning the health regulation in swimming pool, including natatorium. Critics said local swimming pools lacked proper sanitation of water, and inadequately checked Health Certificate of visitors as was required by law. One of the employees here contended that

Present

Wuhan Sports University has a total staff of 812, of which over 500 are professional teachers and trainers. This includes over 60 are professor and/or national trainers; 165 are associate professors; 3 are for Chutian Scholar visiting professors; 10 are Hubei Outstanding Contributions Experts; 10 experts get the subsidy of the State Council and provincial government. In October 2009, Prof. Walter Brehm, the dean of the Sport Institute of University of Bayreuth of Germany, was provided a visiting professor tenure.

At Wuhan Sports University, there are all kinds of indoors and outdoors sports buildings, classrooms buildings, and advanced research facilities. Furthermore, books in the library are up to more than 800,000 volumes.

References

References

1. "武汉体育学院简介(Introduction of WIPE)". 武汉体育学院官方网站（Official Website）.
2. "2025年武汉体育学院部门预算公开情况说明-武汉体育学院-信息公开专栏".
3. (2009-03-15). "曲折中前进——访四次党代会亲历者徐京放". 武汉体院报.
4. (2010-09-03). "武汉体育学院全国首开体育广告专业(WIPE leads the country in setting a new major: Sport Advertising)". 楚天都市报(Chutian Metro Daily).
5. "ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments".
6. "校友会2023中国体育类大学排名，北京体育大学、武汉体育学院体育科技学院第一—大学360度全景数据平台{{!}}艾瑞深网{{!}}校友会中国大学排名{{!}}艾瑞深数据技术研究院{{!}}学科排名{{!}}专业排名{{!}}中国高贡献学者{{!}}教学质量排名{{!}}大学排行榜{{!}}".
7. (2009-09-28). "我校首批"3+1"学子远赴英伦求学(The first crop of "3+1" students of our school departed for their study at UK )". Wuhan Institute of Physical Education official website.
8. (2006-02-27). "杨鹏飞院长在申博成功庆祝大会上的讲话". Wuhan Institute of Physical Education official website.
9. 景兴, 陆. (1984). "武汉体育学院太阳能游泳馆". 华中建筑（Huazhong Architecture）.
10. "我国最大的太阳能游泳馆在湖北武汉体育学院落成". [[Xinhua News Agency]].
11. "武汉体育学院游泳馆对外承租招标公告(Tender notice)". Wuhan Institute of Physical Education official website.
12. "武汉体育学院游泳馆". Official website of WIPE natatorium.
13. (2010-08-15). ""持健康证入游泳馆"成一纸空文（Visiting Swimming pool with Health Certificate Became Empty phrase）". 楚天都市报(Chutian Metro Daily).
14. (2010-08-17). ""持健康证入游泳馆"为何难实行？(Why was "visiting swimming pool with health certificate" hard to be enacted?)". 楚天都市报（Chutian Metro Daily）.
15. (2009-10-14). "德国拜罗伊特大学体育科学学院Walter Brehm教授受聘为我校客座教授". Wuhan Institute of Physical Education official website.