HSG students are keen athletes

7 January 2016. This is the result of a national survey of Swiss students’ exercise behaviour that was conducted in all 18 Swiss universities. After 2005 and 2010, the Swiss Conference of University Sports Directors had commissioned the survey for the third time in all Swiss universities and other institutions of tertiary education. Lamprecht & Stamm Sozialforschung und Beratung AG conducted the online survey in German, French and English between 16 and 26 May 2015.

Even more athletic than five years ago

From a St.Gallen perspective, it is particularly gratifying that 67 per cent of HSG students indicated that they did sports several times a week for a total of three hours or more. This places the HSG at the top of all Swiss universities. Another 14 per cent train at least twice a week, for a total of two hours or more. In comparison with 2010, this is a great and remarkable increase of 14 per cent, which besides the attractive range of sports on offer and the sports infrastructure on the campus can also be attributed to the fact that the sports hall facilities which were partially used for lectures at the time are now completely available for sports.

Four out of five students do sports

All in all, Swiss university students are very active in terms of sports; indeed, they have even slightly increased their athletic activities in the last few years. About 80 per cent of students indicate that they go in for sporting activities at least once a week; 53 per cent even do so several times a week for a total of more than three hours.

Health and fitness, a counterbalance to studies and work, as well as doing sports for the fun of it are the main reasons for athletic activities. Other students consider boosting their physical capacity, improving their figure and experiencing nature to be important motives for engaging in sports. Among women, health and the figure appear to be slightly more important, whereas among men, the performance motive and social contact prove important sporting incentives. More opportunities for individual training sessions, more weekend facilities and an extension of opening times into the evening are the most frequently voiced wishes addressed to Unisport St.Gallen by students who do sports.

Only 6 per cent do not do any sports

Only a very small proportion of students, namely 6 per cent, indicate that they do not engage in any sporting activities at all. This share is four times lower in comparison with the overall population, and it has registered another slight decrease in the last five years. The wish list with regard to sports includes dancing, yoga and swimming for inactive women and swimming, hiking and jogging for inactive men.