Research in education and health has been given a boost with the redesignation of the University of Clermont-Auvergne as a WHO Collaborating Center (CC) for a new term of 4 years. By directly supporting WHO/Europe, the University also hosts the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education, co-chaired by the University of Huddersfield in England. In creating a global community, the CC promotes the development of intersectoral policies and practices in the fields of education and health, with a particular focus on improving the lives of children and young people.
“The intergenerational promise of a better life for current and future generations of young people can be realized through adaptive policies to learning, as we saw through the COVID-19 pandemic, and through transformative approaches that engage young people, especially those at risk of poverty health and exclusion, in designing their own learning, living and working places that support them to thrive and prosper,” said Professor Chris Brown, Head of WHO/Europe’s Office for Investment for Health and Development.
At the global level, the work of the CC and Chair supports the strategies of both WHO/Europe and UNESCO, acting as a catalyst between the academic world, institutions, networks, professionals and local communities. Over the past 4 years, they have contributed to strengthening research in the field of health promotion as well as setting up capacity-building programs and supporting social change to improve health.
Schools as a foundation for healthy lives
Fostering schools that promote health is one of CC’s flagship programs. During its first term, it developed scientific publications and facilitated the co-creation of comprehensive programs to make a sustainable contribution to educational success and improved health for all students. The CC and its associated research teams are now working to identify the ways in which various environments – such as cities, schools, sports clubs, communities, and companies – support people’s learning about health. The challenge is to work collectively to strengthen and professionalize the field of health promotion.
Beyond educational benefits, schools are important for health. 1 in 5 people around the world live and learn daily in the school setting, including students and staff. Evidence shows that, in order to maximize their educational success as well as improve health and reduce inequality, all students must attend school from a young age and ideally remain through secondary education. Additionally, school programs that are integrated, holistic and strategic are more likely to produce better health and academic outcomes than those that are largely information-based and classroom-based. Coherence between each school’s policies, structures and systems, human resources, and practices is therefore required.
“Over the past 4 years, we have contributed to supporting institutions in Member States in developing policies and practices that promote the health of children and young people,” says Professor Didier Jourdan, Head of the CC. “Our mission is not only to support WHO’s action in our own field of expertise, but also to take part in the global network of knowledge production and sharing of the collaborating centres.”
Promoting health and well-being
During COVID-19, the CC and Chair initiated a global study on different local and national strategies for reopening schools in response to the pandemic. The CC participated in the WHO Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and high-level conferences on enabling schooling during the pandemic and contributed to the UNESCO and WHO Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools. The CC also initiated a global research initiative on the meaningful participation of children and young people in promoting their health and well-being.
Population health cannot be promoted without the support of the people themselves. Action at the local level can only be undertaken sustainably and effectively with a network of trained professionals. The CC is committed to implementing, promoting, supporting and enriching training in health promotion. The Global Community Health annual workshop helps to achieve this aim by sharing and developing skills among more than 200 community health practitioners, policy-makers and researchers from around the world. Topics over the past 3 years have included learning from diversity, fostering resilience in local communities, stakeholder engagement, and community mobilization.
Knowledge sharing and communication are key objectives of the CC and UNESCO Chair, which produced a 3-volume reference work entitled the Global Handbook of Health Promotion. All resources developed at the local, regional and national level are shared via its websites and communication channels. A series of webinars, offered in different languages, focuses on the needs of stakeholders and is anchored in local contexts. The redesignation of the CC has been welcomed by the staff of the CC and Chair. Connecting knowledge and a commitment to health for all will be the guiding principle for the CC’s second mandate.