Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2007

The Healthy University In March 2007, the ACHPP, jointly with the School of Public Health, the University Health Service (UHS), and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Sports Medicine and Health Promotion of CUHK organized the First Asia-Pacific Conference on Healthy Universities at the School of Public Health. With the support of WHO, the conference set up the Asia-Pacific Network of Healthy Universities, which puts health high on the policy and learning agenda of member institutions. Members of the network are 35 universities in the Asia-Pacific Region. Prof. Cheng explained the concept of the Healthy University. 'The idea of Healthy Universities originated from the Healthy Cities movement initiated by the WHO. It provides a whole setting approach to physical, psychological and environmental health. An institution committed to becoming a Healthy University integrates health into its policy, culture and processes. It aims to play a key role in promoting health and in laying the foundations of health for its members, for the communities in which they live, and for the whole region.' Prof. Cheng added that the commitment gives structure and focus to the organization of health- related activities at the University. There are activities targeting staff, students, different age groups, and different needs. For instance, the CHPP and the UHS run the crowd-pulling 'Healthy Life, Prosperous Talk', a series of lunch-time talks delivered by professionals for staff. Topics have included brain health, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's Disease, insomnia, investment and gambling, childcare, Internet addiction, smoking addiction, stress management, altitude sickness, and drug abuse. They also organize vaccination, organ donation and blood donation campaigns, first-aid courses, a Student Mental Health Enhancement Programme, and the highly popular Walking Campaign. 10 Chinese University Bulletin