Didier

01
Feb
2022
The Futures of Higher Education: International UNESCO Chairs Forum

The Futures of Higher Education: International UNESCO Chairs Forum

Jointly organised by Italy and UNESCO at Expo 2020 Dubai, the International UNESCO Chairs Forum on the Futures of Higher Education was held on 24 January 2022, to mark the International Day of Education 2022.

This Forum is part of the overall framework of UNESCO’s Future of Education initiative which aims to generate an agenda for global debate, research and action on the futures of education, learning and knowledge in an increasingly complex, uncertain and precarious world. It is also one of the preparatory events for the 3rd UNESCO World Higher Education Conference (WHEC2022) which will be held from 18 to 20 May 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. WHEC2022 and its preparatory events aim to define and prepare participatory knowledge-based scenarios for shaping a new era of higher education systems and institutions, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 disruption.

The International UNESCO Chairs Forum provides a platform to make use of the collective interdisciplinary intelligence on the futures of higher education systems, focusing on skills development in the context of the uncertain futures of work, as well as on the digital transformation of our societies and its implications for higher education.

After a high-level introductory, two experts panels focused on: (1) Skills for Work and Life, and (2) Digitisation and Connectivity. Finally, the Declaration of the Italian UNESCO Chairs for Sustainability was presented.

Video recording of the event:

Posted by Didier in News
01
Feb
2022
Noncommunicable diseases in 53 countries: WHO/Europe presents new visual data tool

Noncommunicable diseases in 53 countries: WHO/Europe presents new visual data tool

WHO/Europe has introduced a new data visualization tool that makes it easy to see key data on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Europe, the policies in place to address them and progress towards the NCD targets.

The data are presented interactively in easy-to-understand graphs that provide an overview and trends in each of the 53 Member States in the WHO European Region. Highlighting the complex and changing nature of NCDs, this new data visualization dashboard is a useful tool for policy-makers, researchers and the general public.

A comprehensive dashboard integrating risk factors and monitoring indicators

The dashboard consists of seven graphics which include the latest WHO data available from each of the 53 countries of the WHO European Region. The graphics show four major groups of indicators

  • premature mortality (due to the four major NCDs and the main group of NCDs in a given country);
  • biological risk factors (prevalence of overweight/obesity and raised blood pressure);
  • behavioural risk factors (smoking and alcohol consumption levels);
  • progress monitoring indicators (implementation of WHO-recommended measures to tackle NCDs).

Different trends for different countries

NCDs are by far the leading cause of death in the WHO European Region. Together, the four major NCDs (cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease) account for almost 75% of deaths in the Region.

However, the data show that the major trends differ between countries and regions. For example, cardiovascular disease rates are high but decreasing in eastern Europe or central Asia, while in western Europe, cancer is becoming the leading cause of premature death.

For more information

WHO/Europe NCD dashboard

Posted by Didier in News
31
Jan
2022
Webinar Implications of adultcentrism on the health of children and adolescents in Latin America – 17 February 2022

Webinar Implications of adultcentrism on the health of children and adolescents in Latin America – 17 February 2022

On 17 February 2022, 16.00 – 17.00 CEST / 11.00 – 12.00 AST, the UNESCO Chair and WHO Collaborating Center Global Health & Education, the University of Puerto Rico, and the Ana G. Méndez University will organise the webinar: Implications of adultcentrism on the health of children and adolescents in Latin America. The webinar will be held in Spanish.

This webinar aims to explore the implications of adultcentrism on the overall health of children and adolescents in Latin America. To this end, a conceptual definition of adultcentrism will be presented, focusing on its ideological, economic and political dimensions, explaining its effect on child and adolescent health. Various regional examples of how the health of children and adolescents is undermined as a result of adult centred views will be presented. Then, the speakers will present how the framework of child and youth citizenship can help us to overcome the impact of adultcentrism on health. Finally, they will point out specific contributions aimed at renewing the framework of health promotion with this age group.

The speakers are:

  • Dr. Iván De Jesús Rosa, Lecturer in Social Work, Ana G. Méndez University, Puerto Rico
  • Dr. Elba Betancourt Díaz, Lecturer in Social Work, Ana G. Méndez University, Puerto Rico

The moderator is:

  • Dr.Marinilda Rivera Díaz, Puerto Rico. Coordinator of the Doctoral Programme in Social Determinants of Health at the Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Social Sciences, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico.

The speakers will explore the following questions:

  1. What are the implications of adultcentrism for the health of children and adolescents in Latin America?
  2. How can the framework of child and youth citizenship help us to overcome the impact of adultcentrism on health?
  3. How does our work contribute to the renewal of the health promotion (research) framework? What are the priorities in the field of health promotion?

Zoom registration link. Registration is free of charge. The link to the webinar will be sent to you after registration.This webinar will also be streamed live on our YouTube channel

More information.

Posted by Didier in News
31
Jan
2022
Article – An analysis of alcohol industry-funded school-based youth education programmes

Article – An analysis of alcohol industry-funded school-based youth education programmes

While the tobacco and fossil fuel industries have used youth education programmes and schools for decades to disseminate product-friendly discourses, ideas and values favourable to their positions, there has been no systematic research specifically on youth education programmes funded by the alcohol industry.

The article published on 12 January 2022[1] provides a detailed review of three school-based youth education programmes on alcohol consumption and health harms.

The analysis shows that the educational materials are limited to a restrictive understanding of the problem and its causes, focusing on personal responsibility and moderate alcohol consumption. Peer pressure and “bad choices” are cited as causes of the problem, with little or no mention of alcohol industry marketing or other practices.

All programmes present alcohol as a product that young people should learn to consume ‘responsibly’ as adults, thus promoting familiarisation and normalisation of alcohol consumption. The discourses also rely on selective presentation of harms, including misinformation about the risk of cancer. The research was limited to an analysis of teaching materials and further research is needed to explore their impact on youth, teachers and wider social norms and discourses.

This study thus reveals considerable conflicts of interest in the implementation of alcohol education programmes in schools (intermediary) funded by the alcohol industry. These programmes are intended to educate young people about the harms and consequences of alcohol consumption, but they primarily encourage moderate and ‘responsible’ drinking, focusing on individual behaviour and choices. These programmes do not empower children and young people to understand and think critically about alcohol and to protect them from alcohol-related harms.

The authors warn that children and young people are being exposed to such conflicted and misleading materials. They call for urgent attention from policy makers, practitioners, teachers and parents, and to end the use of these industry-funded resources in schools.

Read the article

[1] van Schalkwyk MCI, Petticrew M, Maani N, Hawkins B, Bonell C, et al. (2022) Distilling the curriculum: An analysis of alcohol industry-funded school-based youth education programmes. PLOS ONE 17(1): e0259560. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259560

Posted by Didier in News
13
Jan
2022
Concise Guides to the Sustainable Development Goals – SDG 3 Good Health and Wellbeing

Concise Guides to the Sustainable Development Goals – SDG 3 Good Health and Wellbeing

The Concise Guides to the UN Sustainable Development Goals series consists of 17 short books, each examining one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The series provides an integrated assessment of the SDGs from an economic, legal, social, environmental and cultural perspective.

The guide on health and well-being[i] addresses the various contemporary issues related to the implementation of SDG3 and provides a concrete analysis of the challenges. Written by global experts in the field, the book mobilises the concepts of health, well-being and sustainable development and puts them into perspective through essays and case studies in a variety of contexts. It provides a landscape of research, developments, innovative interventions and long-term visions for SDG3.

Chapter 7[ii]  is specifically dedicated to the Health Promoting Schools approach and the implementation of health promoting learning environments in different regions of the world. It recalls the importance of developing valid and effective frameworks for school-based interventions, anchored in an intersectoral perspective, and the role played in this respect by the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education.

[i] [i]  Savelyeva, T., Lee, S. W., & Banack, H. (Éds.). (2019). SDG3 – Good Health and Wellbeing : Re-Calibrating the SDG Agenda: Concise Guides to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/9781789737097

[ii] Lee, A., Young, I., St Leger, L., Jourdan, D. and Kolbe, L. (2019), “Implementing a Healthy Environment for Teaching and Learning Through Health–School Partnership”, Savelyeva, T., Lee, S.W. and Banack, H. (Ed.) SDG3 – Good Health and Wellbeing: Re-Calibrating the SDG Agenda: Concise Guides to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 125-149. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78973-709-720191011

Posted by Didier in News
13
Jan
2022
New edition of the handbook of Salutogenesis

New edition of the handbook of Salutogenesis

In January 2022 Springer published ‘The Handbook of Salutogenesis’ and is coordinated by Maurice Mittelmark as one of the leading expert in this field. It is the second edition and available as open access. The handbook provides an overview of the development of the field of salutogenesis and its applications in health care and health promotion. There are chapters on the life course approach, salutogenesis in different health promoting settings: organisations, communities and environments. The comprehensive handbook concludes with a number of chapters on salutogenesis theory and methods: developments, innovations and next steps.

Posted by Didier in News
11
Jan
2022
SHE monitoring report on implementation of school health promotion

SHE monitoring report on implementation of school health promotion

In December 2021 the Schools for Health in Europe Network Foundation (SHE) published a report on barriers and facilitators for the implementation of school health promotion in Europe: SHE Monitoring Report.   

The aim was to get a deeper understanding of the current influencing factors for the implementation of school health promotion. The report presents the main findings of this study and discusses insights and recommendations for further improving the implementation. Five countries participated in the study (Estonia, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, and Wales). It can be concluded that even though in each country other (combinations of) factors influence the implementation of school health promotion, similarities do exist. These similarities have led to a number of insights and recommendations, which may be helpful for all countries. 

Posted by Didier in News
06
Jan
2022
The IUHPE 2022 programme is out! Check it now!

The IUHPE 2022 programme is out! Check it now!

We are pleased to announce the preliminary programme for the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion is now available online!

We have confirmed an exciting and informative programme in a variety of formats that will explore the conference theme Promoting policies for health, well-being and equity from multiple angles and offering multiple perspectives.

The following features represent well what IUHPE 2022 has to offer:

  • 3 plenary sessions with leading experts in public health and health promotion from all over the world. We will share information on their inspiring careers here;
  • 15 sub plenaries showcasing cutting edge innovative approaches to health promotion. The sub-plenary sessions are encouraged to be fun, critical, and to actively engage audience participation;
  • 40 workshops at the end of the day covering a wide variety of topics: from discussions on Indigenous knowledge and approaches, to local and intersectoral action, health promotion values, planetary health, capacity building, knowledge transfer, advocacy, health literacy as well as tips on how to prepare a scientific publication and review for health promotion journals;
  • 45 round tables and 23 lunches with an author promoting more interactive discussion and fostering networking during and after the conference;
  • 15 symposia, over 50 parallel sessions and over 450 posters that bring together the state of the art in research, practice and policy-making and foster conversations across these areas and across sectors;
  • Sessions in all three languages – English, French and Spanish – every day and across the schedule;
  • Last but not least, an Art display in acknowledgement of its important role in health promotion practice.

If you have not registered yet, make sure you do so now before early-bird registration closes on January 24. Special rates are available to IUHPE members, so one more reason to join the community!

We are confident you will find this programme engaging and the most challenging aspect will be to choose which session to attend!

Last chance: The call for Late-breaking abstracts is open until January 24! It is an opportunity for the latest innovations and research to be included in the programme.

Posted by Didier in News
20
Dec
2021
4th IAAH MENA Region Adolescent Health Conference – Declaration

4th IAAH MENA Region Adolescent Health Conference – Declaration

The 4th IAAH (International Association for Adolescent Health) MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Region Adolescent Health Conference was held from 1-3 December 2021 in Hurghada, Egypt.

Theme

The main theme of the conference was: “Adolescent Care, Leaving No One Behind”. The conference aimed to break the silence around the unmet needs of the large and increasing group of disadvantaged adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa region who are chronically ill or disabled, belong to an ethnic minority, live in a disadvantaged socio-economic environment or are displaced due to political violence. It also emphasized that investing in the health, development and well-being of adolescents in general is the most cost-effective investment a nation can make for the future.

Declaration

The declaration of the conference reminds states of the necessity to systematically strengthen health systems, while ensuring a multi-sectoral approach, so as to encompass the socio-ecological determinants of adolescent health. It also emphasizes the life course perspective to health and that failing to address adolescents’ health needs will inevitably impact future adult health and subsequent generations. The declarations calls to:

  • Acknowledge adolescence as a distinct period in life.
  • Adopt equity-based policies and strategies that are inclusive of all adolescents.
  • Recognize the fact that learning, education, and health are deeply intertwined, and therefore, through strong collaborations between Ministries of Health and Education, support each and every school to be a health promoting center.
  • Capitalize on all settings of adolescent learning (formal, non-formal, and informal) to integrate aspects of health promotion and prevention.
  • Take active measures to educate adolescents about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in formal, informal, non-formal education, and work settings and in manners that are culturally sensitive.
  • Recognize that adolescents and youth are true change agents and genuinely involve them in active and transformative participation.
  • And more…

More information: Conference website

Posted by Didier in News
16
Dec
2021
4th IAAH MENA Region Adolescent Health Conference – contributions UNESCO Chair

4th IAAH MENA Region Adolescent Health Conference – contributions UNESCO Chair

The 4th IAAH (International Association for Adolescent Health) MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Region Adolescent Health Conference, organized by the Arab Coalition for Adolescent Health & Medicine (ACAHM), was held from 1-3 December 2021 in Hurghada, Egypt. The conference was held under the patronage of the League of Arab States and attended by 190 participants from 38 countries and 15 International and Regional organizations.

Theme

The main theme of the conference was: “Adolescent Care, Leaving No One Behind”. The conference aimed to break the silence around the unmet needs of the large and increasing group of disadvantaged adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa region who are chronically ill or disabled, belong to an ethnic minority, live in a disadvantaged socio-economic environment or are displaced due to political violence. It also emphasized that investing in the health, development and well-being of adolescents in general is the most cost-effective investment a nation can make for the future.

UNESCO Chair contributions

Didier Jourdan gave a keynote speech on the theme: Supporting every community and every school to become a foundation for healthy lives. He addressed the following five ideas:

  1. Education and Health are mutually intertwined
  2. Learning for Health and Well-being
  3. Creating a safe, inclusive and healthy learning environment
  4. Political and strategic levers for change
  5. Building school’s capacity to become a foundation for healthy lives

Download the PPT

Didier Jourdan, MinChien Tsai and Silvia de Ruiter led a plenary workshop on Genuine Participation of adolescents. During the workshop they shared why genuine participation is critical for the success of health interventions, provided country examples and introduced the roadmap for a global collaboration “nothing about them, without them”.

Download the PPT

More information: Conference website

Posted by Didier in News