TARGET 14 SETTINGS FOR HEALTH PROMOTION - Concept, experience and framework for action

Sep 8, 2026

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Institutions of higher education can use a settings-based approach to strengthen population health and add value through protecting the health and promoting the wellbeing of students, staff, and surrounding communities. The guidance supports linking health promotion with teaching and research, and building health-promotion alliances and community outreach. It provides conceptual and practical direction for designing and developing a health-promoting university project, integrating innovative UK case studies, WHO round-table outcomes, and an action framework for a European network.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatDOCX

Pages175

Reading Time1 h 1 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The settings-based approach to health promotion

Context

The historical shift in public health

From the healthy city to the healthy university: project development and networking

Health and higher education

Universities and health in the twenty-first century

A common agenda? Health and the greening of higher education

Case studies

Action learning for health on campus: muddling through with a model?

Creating a healthy medical school

Public health education for medical students: a problem-based curriculum and new opportunities

Embracing organizational development for health promotion in higher education

The healthy university within a healthy city

The university as a setting for sustainable health

The way forward

Strategic framework for the Health Promoting Universities project

A framework for action by a European Network of Health Promoting Universities

Glossary of terms related to higher education and the health care system in the United Kingdom

Contributors

World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe Copenhagen Health Promoting Universities Concept, experience and framework for action Edited by Agis D. Tsouros, Gina Dowding, Jane Thompson & Mark Dooris ISBN 92 890 1285 4 EUR/ICP/CHVD 03 09 01 1998 ENGLISH ONLY EDITED TARGET 14 SETTINGS FOR HEALTH PROMOTION By the year 2000, all settings of social life and activity, such as the city, school, workplace, neighbourhood and home, should provide greater opportunities for promoting health. Abstract Institutions of higher education have long been concerned about promoting health among students. The settings-based approach to health promotion can potentially enhance the contribution of universities to improving the health of populations and to adding value in the following ways: 1) by protecting the health and promoting the wellbeing of students, staff and the wider community through their policies and practices, 2) by increasingly relating health promotion to teaching and research and 3) by developing health promotion alliances and outreach into the community. This working document provides conceptual and practical guidance on how to set up and develop a health-promoting university project. It combines a series of innovative case studies from the United Kingdom and the outcome of a WHO round table meeting on the criteria and strategies and operational attributes of the Health Promoting Universities project and an action framework for a European Network of Health Promoting Universities. Keywords UNIVERSITIES HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HEALTH – trends SUSTAINABILITY HEALTH FOR ALL HEALTHY CITIES EUROPE Cover design: Graphic design consultants: Matthew J. Sumbland Rowland & Hird, Lancaster, United Kingdom © World Health Organization All rights in this document are reserved by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The document may nevertheless be freely reviewed, abstracted, reproduced or translated into any other language (but not for sale or for use in conjunction with commercial purposes) provided that full acknowledgement is given to the source. For the use of the WHO emblem, permission must be sought from the WHO Regional Office. Any translation should include the words: The translator of this document is responsible for the accuracy of the translation. The Regional Office would appreciate receiving three copies of any translation. Any views expressed by named authors are solely the responsibility of those authors. This document was text processed in Health Documentation Services WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen Contents Page Preface...................................................................................................... i Foreword ................................................................................................ iii Introduction ............................................................................................. 1 Agis D. Tsouros Context The historical shift in public health........................................................... 5 John Ashton From the healthy city to the healthy university: project development and networking.....................................................11 Agis D. Tsouros The settings-based approach to health promotion....................................21 Mark Dooris, Gina Dowding, Jane Thompson & Cathy Wynne Health and higher education Universities and health in the twenty-first century ...................................33 Nicholas Abercrombie, Tony Gatrell & Carol Thomas A common agenda? Health and the greening of higher education.............41 Peter Toyne & Shirley Ali Khan 3. Case studies Action learning for health on campus: muddling through with a model? University College of St Martin, Lancaster..............................................45 Alan Beattie Creating a healthy medical school University of Newcastle..........................................................................57 Martin White Public health education

FAQs

What is the settings-based approach and how does it support health promotion in universities?

It uses everyday institutional settings to protect health and promote wellbeing. It also helps connect health promotion to teaching, research, and community partnerships.

What are the main ways universities can add value through health-promoting projects?

Universities can protect students’ and staff health through policies and practices, relate health promotion to teaching and research, and develop alliances with community outreach.

What does the document provide for setting up a health-promoting university project?

Conceptual and practical guidance, including innovative UK case studies, WHO round-table outcomes on criteria and strategies, and an action framework for a European network.

Sep 8, 2026

Upload by Mabel