Health promoting universities initiatives : development and implementation in universities around the world

Universities provide opportunities to promote health. Since the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, universities worldwide have adopted a settings approach to become Health Promoting Universities (HPUs). Yet although many HPUs exist, little is known about the way universities implement the components and principles of the settings approach. To investigate this issue, various studies were performed involving universities from across the world. Literature review, qualitative methods, and quantitative methods were used to document the implementation of the HPU concept in different contexts, and the factors that influence the process of implementing the HPU approach. The studies show that different types of HPU exist based on the level of implementation of the concept, and that support from university authorities and participation by the university community are essential for success. These results have important implications for research, policy and practice.