How do universities implement the Health Promoting University concept?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Higher Education Studies
• Health Promotion

Background:

• The Health Promoting University (HPU) concept aims to integrate health into university culture, processes, and policies.
• A global framework exists to guide universities in becoming HPUs, but implementation details are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how 54 universities across 25 countries implemented the HPU framework.
• To identify variations in the adoption of HPU components and assess adherence to the framework.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire surveyed universities on their HPU initiatives.
• Analysis included assessing action areas, adherence to HPU components (whole systems approach, collaboration, recognition, funding, network membership, evaluation), and using Multi-Correspondence and cluster analysis.

Main Results:

• Most universities addressed key HPU components.
• Four distinct university types emerged: 'emerging' (lacking authority recognition, whole systems approach, and evaluation) and 'established' (recognized, using whole systems approach and evaluation, but varying in funding and network membership).

Conclusions:

• Universities exhibit diverse implementation strategies for the HPU framework.
• Understanding these variations is crucial for tailoring support and advancing the global HPU movement.