Niehues, Maike

Physical activity, play, and sport are important contexts for learning, education, and development throughout childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. My research explores how educational and movement-related processes can be designed in elite sports settings, schools, and extracurricular contexts to foster learning, participation, and personal development. In doing so, I combine perspectives from sport pedagogy, educational science, and empirical research. 

One central aspect of my work concerns how young athletes can successfully balance the demands of different areas of life, particularly school and sport. In addition, I investigate the professional development of physical education teachers and educational staff working in physical education and all-day schools, the design of innovative teaching and learning formats in physical education, and the promotion of basic motor competencies among primary school children. My research is internationally oriented and conducted in close collaboration with partners across numerous European countries. Moreover, I am concerned with the transfer of scientific knowledge into practice, for example through the development of professional development programmes, digital tools, and evidence-based recommendations for schools, sport organisations, and teacher education.

• Empirical educational research in physical education
• Dual-career research in elite and youth sport
• Professional development and qualification of physical education teachers
• Physical education teacher education
• School development and all-day education
• Basic motor competencies of primary school children
• Digital and blended learning formats in teacher education

• 2012 International Baccalaureate and Bilingual Diploma, Hockerill Anglo-European College, Bishop's Stortford, United Kingdom
• 2016 Bachelor of Education (Physical Education and English), University of Potsdam, Germany
• 2016 Internship at the German School Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
• 2016 Exchange semester, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
• 2018 Internship at the German International School Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
• 2018 Master of Education (Physical Education and English), University of Potsdam, Germany
• 2018-2023 Research Associate, Professorship for Sport Didactics, University of Potsdam, Germany
• 2023 Scientific Expert, Erasmus+ Project BMC-EU DigPro, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
• 2022-2026 Research Associate/Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Movement and Sport Pedagogy, University of Hamburg, Germany
• 2024 Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. phil.), University of Hamburg, Germany Dissertation: Motivation and Performances of Student-Athletes in Dual Careers
• since July 2026 Tenure-track professorship of Exercise and Sport Didactics, Centre for Sport Science and University Sports, Centre for Teacher Education, University of Vienna