Celebration of Healthy Universities Day with the “One apple, one idea” initiative

7 October is Healthy Universities Day and the University of Deusto will celebrate it with the “one apple, one idea” initiative. Students are invited to come up with ideas on what a healthy university is for them for two days. Each idea will receive an apple. On 7 October, fruit points will be located at the Memory Square (Bilbao) from 10:30 to 11:30, and on 8 October, they will be at the Maze entry (Bilbao) at the same time. The San Sebastian campus will be hosting this activity on 8 October from 10:00 to 14:00. Similarly, a healthy menu will be served in cafeterias and bars on both campuses.

 

The Health Universities Day is a joint campaign organised by more than 30 Universities – Deusto among them – that make up the Spanish Network of Healthy Universities (REUS). This network was created in 2008, and in addition to higher education centres, it also comprises two ministries (the Ministry of Healthcare, Social Services and Equality, and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport), the Rectors’ Conference (CRUE) and nine regional public healthcare structures.

 

The Network is committed to incorporating health promotion into university life, by supporting and pinpointing it as a health promoting environment. In turn, REUS also belongs to the Latin American Network of Healthy Universities and the European Network, which are helping to create synergies and share health-related experiences.

 

On 7 October 2009, the Pamplona-Iruña statement on Health Promoting Universities was issued. This is why the “Healthy Universities Day” is celebrated, whose aim is to draw attention to the work carried out by Spanish universities to promote health. Some of the joint activities that have been scheduled include free seasonal fruit give outs at the buildings on the university campuses, among others that will be held at each university.

 

A Health University is one that incorporates health promotion into its educational and labour project, aimed at fostering human development and improving the quality of life of those who are studying or working there. It also seeks to train them to serve as examples or promoters of healthy behaviours with their families, in their future jobs and society at large.

 

Research on youth habits and behaviours that have a direct impact on their health reveals the need to take action with a number of specific health policies at this stage of life. Considering that the university itself is a space of particular interest to train university students, strengthen them as individuals and create future professionals that may have a bearing on society in general, it is necessary to implement actions to promote healthy lifestyles and educate them in values in this regard.

One of the most immediate projects REUS is currently working on includes the creation of a database to highlight the resources and activities available at REUS partner universities so that they can be jointly shared and implemented.

These are some of the joint actions that will be carried out by Spanish universities from a health promotion perspective, with a focus on those universities that are constantly improving and intervening on those factors that determine their physical and social environment. The aim is to facilitate access to and promotion of common resources that allow their members to perform all their vital functions and self-development to reach their highest potential from a mutual support standpoint.