Didier

15
Dec
2025
Making every school a health promoting school: experts and decision-makers gather in Brussels

Making every school a health promoting school: experts and decision-makers gather in Brussels

Source: EuroHealthNet

On 2 December 2025, the Schools4Health conference – ‘From Awareness to Action: Making Every School a Health Promoting School,’ was held in Brussels, bringing together experts from WHO/Europe, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the European Commission, as well as public health professionals and school leaders from across Europe. The UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education was among the organisations present at this major event dedicated to the future of health promoting schools.

Increasingly pressing educational and health issues

Schools are not just places for learning; they are places for living, shaping children and young people’s health, habits, and opportunities. Yet across Europe, students show declining skills, rising obesity, worsening mental health and wellbeing, all amid growing inequalities. Schools struggle to deal with challenges that extend beyond the classroom.

In the face of these challenges, the Health Promoting School (HPS) approach offers practical, evidence-based solutions. Through collaboration with students, staff, and professionals across different sectors, a health promoting school integrates health and wellbeing into its policies and culture. It continually strengthens its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning, and working and empowers young people with essential life skills.

From awareness to action

The message was clear: more collaboration and stronger policies are needed to structurally embed, support, and scale up the Health Promoting School approach to improve learning, wellbeing and social outcomes for all children and youth.

Speakers showcased how they implemented the Health Promoting Schools approach through initiatives in physical activity, nutrition, and mental wellbeing in school structures, as well as engaging the neighbouring community.

At the follow-up high-level meeting on 3 December, European and national policy experts provided examples and discussed what kinds of policies, investments and initiatives are needed to improve school environments in ways that generate better health and educational outcomes.

A call for renewed political commitment

The events led to a shared recognition that policy and governance must catch up with the evidence. Participants called for a renewed political commitment at the European and national levels, stronger alignment across sectors, as well as targeted investment to ensure that every school can become a health promoting school – not just a motivated few.

The conference and policy expert meeting closed with a commitment to build a WHO-associated European Network of Health Promoting Schools, and strengthen cooperation, exchange policies, engage schools, and sustain momentum around school health in Europe. A new EuroHealthNet Thematic Working Group will facilitate continued collaboration among EuroHealthNet members. Interested to learn more? Visit Schools4Health’s website and LinkedIn, and get in touch to see how you can join our growing movement in making every school a health promoting school in Europe.

Schools4Health

Led by EuroHealthNet, Schools4Health (2023-2025) is an EU4Health-funded project which aims to introduce, strengthen, and sustain the adoption of the Health Promoting School (HPS) approach and other whole-school approaches to health.

Schools4Health works with 16 schools across the EU to implement good practices in healthy nutrition, physical activity, and mental health as entry points to introduce or reinforce the Health Promoting School model.

Have a look at Schools4Health’s resources on the website.

Posted by Didier in News
18
Nov
2025
UNESCO IITE Publishes Briefs on Education for Health, Well-being, and Personality Development

UNESCO IITE Publishes Briefs on Education for Health, Well-being, and Personality Development

UNESCO’s Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE) has published the first two briefs in a series, titled “How the Educational Environment and Curricula Contribute to Learners’ Personality Development, Health, and Well-being“ and “Teacher personality potential and well-being as drivers of learners’ personality development, health, and well-being“. These publications are part of the international initiative “Empowering through Education for Health and Well-being in a Learning Environment That Fosters Personality Development,” a collaboration between UNESCO IITE and the Investment in the Future Charitable Foundation which aims to advance teachers’ professional development.

Focus on holistic educational programs

The first brief “How the Educational Environment and Curricula Contribute to Learners’ Personality Development, Health, and Well-being” examines educational programs that prioritise different aspects of promoting health, psychosocial well-being, and the development of learners’ personality potential. It provides descriptions and analyses of these programs, offering insights for policymakers, education specialists, and school leaders at national, regional, and local levels as well as secondary school teachers and principals. The publication aims to support efforts to transform education to meet current challenges. This publication is available for download in Russian and English.

Focus on teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction

The second brief “Teacher personality potential and well-being as drivers of learners’ personality development, health, and well-being” explores personal and school-related factors that affect teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction and recommends diagnostic tools and support practices. Special attention is given to teachers’ personal and professional development, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy. The publication is available for download in: Russian and English.

For more information visit the UNESCO IITE website.

Posted by Didier in News
17
Nov
2025
Planning for healthy and thriving learners: Global launch – 20 November 2025

Planning for healthy and thriving learners: Global launch – 20 November 2025

UNESCO is launching Planning for healthy and thriving learners – a coordinated programme of work to embed health and well-being into education sector planning.

Planning for healthy and thriving learners aims to translate high-level commitments into concrete action, placing learners’ health and well-being at the centre of education systems. It provides practical tools, builds capacity, and empowers education authorities to take the driving seat in mobilizing support and resources from other sectors.

Planning for healthy and thriving learners builds on UNESCO’s Strategy on Education for Health and Well-being and  the Making Every School a Health-Promoting School  initiative, and is advanced in collaboration with  the  Inter-Agency Group on School Health and Nutrition. 

The Chair is one of the contributors to the strategic resources for planning and policy-making. The briefing note, a high-level advocacy tool for decision-makers, and the Handbook on integrating health and well-being into education sector planning, which provides step-by-step guidance for ministries of education and partners across the sector planning cycle, from analysis and policy formulation to implementation and monitoring.

The launch welcomes education stakeholders, planners and partners. It is organized by UNESCO, including its Headquarters, International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), and Regional offices in Dakar and Harare, in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the Inter-Agency Group on School Health and Nutrition. You can register for the global webinar (hybrid) – connecting Addis Ababa with participants worldwide to showcase tools and country experiences, on 20 November 2025, afternoon.  Interpretation will be available in English, French and Portuguese for all sessions, with Spanish added for the webinar.

More information
Register for the webinar

Posted by Didier in News
17
Nov
2025
Honorary doctorate awarded to Professor Didier Jourdan

Honorary doctorate awarded to Professor Didier Jourdan

The University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom) has awarded an honorary doctorate to Professor Didier Jourdan, holder of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education and professor at University of Clermont Auvergne. This distinction honours his outstanding contribution to health promotion practice, education and research.

In addition to heading the UNESCO Chair, Professor Jourdan coordinates the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Education and Health, serves as Vice-President for Communication of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), and advises numerous institutions around the world on health policies and innovations.

A researcher at the ACTé laboratory (EA 4285), he is the author of numerous scientific articles, books and contributions aimed at researchers and professionals in the fields of health, education and training. Recognised as an international expert in prevention and health education policies, he plays an active role in international collaborations focused on research, training and the implementation of evidence-based public health policies.

At the ceremony, the University of Huddersfield praised his outstanding commitment to improving the lives of students and teachers around the world and his work to promote lifelong learning for health. Professor Jourdan said he received this honour as “a celebration of a shared purpose“, recalling the close ties between the Universities of Huddersfield and Clermont Auvergne, co-hosts of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education, united by a joint belief that education and health are inextricably linked, and that both are essential to human flourishing.

Read the full article on the University of Huddersfield website: Pride as honorary doctorates bestowed at graduation – University of Huddersfield

The UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education extends its warmest congratulations to Professor Jourdan on this prestigious distinction, which recognises an exemplary career dedicated to bringing education and health closer together.

Posted by Didier in News
17
Nov
2025
Vaud CMS mobilized to meet the challenge of aging well

Vaud CMS mobilized to meet the challenge of aging well

In the canton of Vaud (Switserland), more than 40,000 people benefit each year from the services provided by Community health and social care centres (CMS). Faced with growing and increasingly specific needs, the Association vaudoise d’aide et de soins à domicile (AVASAD) has been engaged since 2020 in an ambitious initiative, supported by the Leenaards Foundation and the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education: the “Ageing Well” programme.

This programme marks a real cultural shift within the CMS: it aims to strengthen the skills of the teams while mobilising the senior citizens themselves, two essential levers for preserving autonomy and promoting home care.

Over three years, nearly 150 professionals have co-developed a unique training programme consisting of 26 podcast modules aimed primarily at care and community health assistants (ASSC), and two specific modules for other professional groups. These podcasts combine testimonials, scientific contributions, role-playing exercises, quizzes and additional resources. By 2025, more than 2,600 employees of the Vaud CMS will have completed this programme.

The results of the evaluation, conducted with the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education, are significant: 64% of care and community health assistants believe that the training has enhanced their practices and improved their well-being at work, while 94% of managers say that the experience has enriched their managerial practice. The seniors themselves perceive a change as well: the willingness of CMS teams to actively collaborate with them rather than acting on their behalf. For many, ageing well means above all staying active, maintaining connections, staying informed and being able to make decisions. “The change is in the little things that matter” said one person who was receiving support during the evaluation of the initiative.

Podcasts illustrating the concept of ‘ageing well’

To build on this momentum, AVASAD is launching the ‘En vrai’ (In real life) podcasts, a three-part series giving professionals and senior citizens the opportunity to talk about what ageing well means in practical terms:

  1. Preserving the independence of senior citizens
  2. Taking local action to support senior citizens
  3. Promoting the health of senior citizens

👉 Discover the podcasts series (in French)

An infographic highlights the main elements that structure the ‘ageing well’ approach and the roles of each individual in this collective dynamic.

A structuring initiative for health promotion

This approach illustrates the key role of a semi-public institution such as AVASAD in implementing prevention and health promotion policies. It shows how training, research and public participation can bring about lasting change in professional practices and the conditions for ageing well at home.

The UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education, a scientific partner in this initiative since its launch, is proud to support AVASAD in the development, implementation and evaluation of this exemplary experiment in the service of healthy ageing in Switzerland.

Read the press release

Posted by Didier in News
04
Nov
2025
Special issue: Child and Adolescent Health in Europe and Central Asia

Special issue: Child and Adolescent Health in Europe and Central Asia

A special scientific issue by Public Health in Practice, available on ScienceDirect, brings together key articles that support the new Child and Adolescent Health (CAH) strategy in the WHO European Region by providing analysis, evidence and concrete recommendations for its implementation. The recently adopted strategy ‘A healthy start for a healthy life: a strategy for child and adolescent health and well-being in the WHO European Region 2026–2030’ is the result of extensive consultation with governments, experts, civil society and young people themselves. 

The UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education actively contributed to providing the evidence base for the CAH strategy through the article ‘School is more than a place to learn: An intersectoral assessment of adolescent well-being prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the WHO European Region[1]’, which sheds light on the challenges of adolescent well-being, the impact of the pandemic and the importance of an intersectoral approach to schooling.

Other articles included in the special issue are:

[1] M. Limburg, M. Cronin, M. Black, J.C. Inchley, D. Jourdan, C. Jung-Sievers, P. McHale, E. Rehfuess, M.-C. Tsai, N.J. Gray. School is more than a place to learn: An intersectoral assessment of adolescent well-being prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the WHO European Region. Public Health in Practice, Volume 10, 2025, 100654. ISSN 2666-5352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2025.100654

Posted by Didier in News
04
Nov
2025
Governments across Europe and Central Asia adopt new WHO strategy to give every child a healthy start in life

Governments across Europe and Central Asia adopt new WHO strategy to give every child a healthy start in life

Source: WHO

All 53 Member States of the WHO European Region have unanimously adopted a bold new strategy to improve the health and well-being of children and adolescents across Europe and Central Asia.

Titled “A healthy start for a healthy life: a strategy for child and adolescent health and well-being in the WHO European Region 2026–2030”, and developed jointly with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the framework sets a clear vision for a region where every child and adolescent can grow, learn and thrive in good health – physically, mentally and socially.

Adopted at the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Copenhagen, the strategy is the result of extensive consultation with governments, experts, civil society and young people themselves. It aims to tackle long-standing inequities in child and adolescent health and to respond to new challenges – from mental health and digital risks to the impacts of poverty, climate change and conflict on young lives.

The new strategy calls on countries to strengthen health systems and social policies that support children and families from the very beginning. It also emphasizes the importance of protecting children from harm, including exposure to violence, commercial exploitation, unhealthy products and the potential negative effects of social media. The strategy urges countries to act decisively on several fronts:

  • Participation and empowerment
  • Health equity and inclusion
  • Mental health
  • Health promoting schools
  • Safe and supportive environments
  • Digital well-being

As a WHO Collaborating Center for Reseach in Education and Health the Chair has provided input for the new strategy as well as the underlying evidence.

More information on the WHO website

Posted by Didier in News
06
Oct
2025
“No progress on social inequalities in health over last decade”, says new data

“No progress on social inequalities in health over last decade”, says new data

Source: EuroHealthNet

EuroHealthNet-CHAIN report maps 2014-2024 trends in health, mental health and inequalities in Europe, spurring action on root causes.

Europeans are living longer than ever, but these gains are not shared equally. Social inequalities in health and mental health persist across Europe, with people with lower education or occupation reporting poorer health. This undermines Europe’s prosperity and threatens its competitiveness and security, as outlined in the EU political guidelines. This is the main conclusion of the new EuroHealthNet and Centre for Health Equity Analytics (CHAIN) report, ‘Social inequalities in health in the EU’.

Using data from the European Social Survey, the report presents trends of social inequalities in health across Europe over the past ten years, highlighting their root causes.

Are countries closing the health gap?

  • One in three people reported their health as less than good.
  • People with low education are twice as likely to report poor health as those with high education
  • Health outcomes are becoming more similar across European countries, but this is a result of countries ‘meeting in the middle’ rather than all countries improving.
  • In those countries where inequalities have declined, this seems to reflect worsening health or mental health in higher social groups.
  • Only one country (Slovenia) showed progress towards both improving health across all groups and closing gaps in health and mental health.

What drives health inequalities?

Health is not just the result of genetics, healthcare, or our behaviours. It is particularly driven by social disadvantages. The study finds that economic insecurity, limited control over one’s life and job are strongly associated with poor health. Other relevant factors include overweight and obesity, smoking, as well as experiencing financial difficulties in childhood. Problems with housing, which have been increasing in Northern and Western Europe, also contribute to poor health.

Addressing the root causes  

Health and its distribution are not only affected by public health policy. Social, employment, and economic policies play a considerable role. Reducing inequalities requires addressing their root causes and integrating a focus on health equity in all these areas.

Upcoming opportunities include the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan, the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, the European Affordable Housing Plan, and the next EU long-term budget.

Download the report

Posted by Didier in News
02
Oct
2025
Schools4Health Policy Brief Published: Creating Green and Healthy Schools for a Sustainable Future

Schools4Health Policy Brief Published: Creating Green and Healthy Schools for a Sustainable Future

Source: Schools4Health

How can schools respond to the challenges of climate change, declining child wellbeing, and growing inequalities? The Schools4Health project argues that the answer lies in bringing health promotion and sustainability together under one whole-school approach.

Across Europe, nine in ten young people believe that tackling climate change will improve their wellbeing. Their voices remind us that health and sustainability are deeply connected — and that schools are uniquely placed to link these agendas.

While many schools already run health or environmental projects, they are often treated as separate initiatives. This fragmented approach risks missing opportunities to create a stronger, collective impact. The new Schools4Health Policy Brief Creating green and healthy schools for a sustainable future explores how schools can align these efforts, and how the Health Promoting Schools (HPS) framework can provide the foundation for this integration.

What does this mean in practice?

  • School gardens, green play areas, and outdoor learning that support both physical activity and environmental awareness.
  • Healthy eating programmes that also reduce food waste and promote sustainable choices.
  • Whole-school strategies that embed both wellbeing and sustainability into curricula, policies, and partnerships.
  • Student-led initiatives that empower young people to take action for their own health and the planet.

Lessons from Europe

The brief showcases examples of how countries are already moving in this direction:

  • Finland integrates wellbeing and sustainability as cross-cutting themes in its National Core Curriculum.
  • Italy has legislated for climate and sustainability education across all school levels.
  • The Netherlands is expanding its Healthy School Programme to cover environmental and sustainability issues.
  • Greece supports teachers with sustainability coordinators at district level.
  • Hungary promotes environmental awareness from an early age through its Green Kindergarten Network.

Why Schools4Health?

Schools4Health is an EU-funded project bringing together partners from 11 countries to strengthen the Health Promoting Schools approach across Europe. By supporting local pilots, cross-country exchanges, and policy work, the project shows how schools can be catalysts for healthier, fairer, and more sustainable societies.

Our third policy brief, Creating green and healthy schools for a sustainable future, sets out recommendations for policymakers, educators, and communities — from embedding health and sustainability in curricula to building cross-sector structures and empowering students as agents of change.

Read the full brief here.

Access the second brief here: Health Promoting Schools as a Lever for Equity in Education  and the first one at: Why Invest in Health Promoting Schools.

Find out more at www.schools4health.eu

Posted by Didier in News
02
Oct
2025
International Round Table Explores Global Perspectives on Good Healthy Schools

International Round Table Explores Global Perspectives on Good Healthy Schools

On 9 April 2025, the Good Healthy Schools Initiative (GHSI) convened its first international Round Table, bringing together experts from across Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America to discuss how health can be systematically embedded into education systems. The online event, organized by Leuphana University of Lüneburg and funded by the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), marked a pivotal step in the Initiative’s ambition to promote “Good Healthy Schools” through international dialogue and cooperation.

Linking education and health

Moderated by Goof Buijs, manager of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education, the Round Table opened with a keynote by Prof. Dr. Peter Paulus, Director of the Center for Applied Health Sciences at Leuphana University and Head of the GHSI project. Paulus outlined the German model of the Good Healthy School and highlighted the strategic importance of linking education and health as mutually reinforcing dimensions of school development. His remarks set the stage for the international perspectives that followed.

Contributions came from representatives in Botswana, Hong Kong, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and the United States, as well as from UNESCO’s Sections of Education Policy and Health and Education. The presentations highlighted innovative strategies ranging from UNESCO’s Happy Schools framework and the Icelandic Prevention Model to regional school health programs in Andalusia and cross-sectoral partnerships in Africa.

Health as a core dimension of educational quality

A recurring theme throughout the Round Table was the need to move beyond isolated initiatives and instead pursue systemic, policy-anchored approaches that view health as a core dimension of educational quality. Participants emphasized that sustainable progress requires intersectoral collaboration, cultural sensitivity, and above all, meaningful participation of children and young people. As Buijs stressed: “Don’t talk about them – talk with them.”

Breakout sessions provided space for in-depth dialogue on embedding health into school quality frameworks, financing strategies, and innovative partnerships. Across all contexts, participants highlighted funding challenges but also underlined the opportunities of global networks such as UNESCO, European Network Education and Training in Occupational Safety and Health (ENETOSH), and World Health Organisation (WHO) in creating shared platforms for learning and advocacy.

Call for international collaboration

The event concluded with a clear call for stronger international collaboration and the development of long-term alliances.

Feedback from participants confirmed the event’s value as a unique forum for exchange and co-creation. Preparations are already underway for a second international Round Table in December 2025, with even broader participation from UNESCO partners and organizations such as WHO, European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), and European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE).

The Round Table demonstrated the growing momentum of the Good Healthy Schools Initiative and reaffirmed the global relevance of embedding health and well-being at the heart of education systems.

Posted by Didier in News