Web site: http://sport.univer.kharkov.ua/

Physical training and sports are an integral part of the academic process at the University. Since its foundation the University has repeatedly changed the organizational structure and methods of physical training. Now this activities are ensured by the Department of Physical Training and Sports founded in 1925.

Today more than 40 faculty members work at the Department, three of whom are Masters of Sports of international level, twenty one — Masters of Sports, two faculty members have the title of Merited Coach of Ukraine. Throughout the whole term of their studies, University students can improve their physical shape using the University sports infrastructure: Karazinskyi Educational and Sports Complex comprising ten gym halls and a stadium, the Unikort, one of the best tennis bases of our country, gym halls of the Institute of High Technologies, the Main and the Northern Buildings of the University.

Since the academic year of 2005–2006 the academic process in physical training has been organized by the sectional form: at their physical training lessons students can choose the sport to work out in in groups. The most popular sports among students are aerobics, athletics in gym halls, competitive sports: basketball, volleyball, minifootball, badminton, table tennis and lawn tennis, draughts as well as boxing and kickboxing, sambo and self-defense, taekwondo, fencing, water tourism and archery. Besides, lessons in groups of general physical training are organized while medically fragile students can work out in physical rehabilitation groups. Educational classes in physical training are primarily health-improving in their nature.

The University Athletic Games (Spartakiada) held since 1950 is especially popular among students. Now its agenda includes competitions in badminton, basketball, volleyball, track and field, mini football, table tennis, lawn tennis, chess and checkers. Besides, the University annually holds the First-Year Students’ Sports Festival, contests for the University President’s Cup in minifootball, for Student Trade Union Cups in volleyball, basketball, badminton and table tennis as well as sports tournaments and festivals organized almost at each.

Students in appropriate athletic form can choose to attend any of the sports sections in 17 sports. The University teams annually participate in the Student Athletic Games among higher educational institutions of Kharkiv oblast, while the leading student athletes take part in sports competitions of the highest rank both in Ukraine and abroad.

Olympic sports achievements of the University students started in 1912 when a student of the School of Medicine took part in the competitions in gymnastics within the fifth Olympic Games in Stockholm. Students of our University were the most successful in the Olympics in the second half of the ХХ century. At the same time the main task of physical training provided for University students is health improvement as part of preparation of future professionals and ensuring that students have an opportunity to realize their needs in the field of physical training and sports throughout the whole period of studies.