The university as a setting for sustainable health University of Central Lancashire Mark Dooris BACKGROUND: ROOTS AND INSPIRATION The roots of the University of Central project stretch back Lancashire’s over several years. In 1992, the University was instrumental in Preston Acute Hospitals being selected as the pilot project for England within the WHO European Health Promoting Hospital initiative. Following representation on the Steering Group of this project, the University organized an international seminar on the settings-based approach to health promotion in collaboration with WHO and the North West Regional Health Authority (1). This seminar served as a catalyst within the University, leading to a growing interest in exploring the potential for applying the settingsbased approach within the institution itself. This interest was nurtured by the presence of a forward-looking Department of Health Studies within a Faculty of Health, whose understanding of health and health promotion drew extensively on health for all the Ottawa (2), Charter and salutogenic focus In 1995, Faculty (3) (4). Antonovsky’s research funding was secured to appoint a Health Promoting University Project Coordinator, initially for two years, which was subsequently made into a permanent post. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The first task in establishing the Health Promoting University Project was to clarify its conceptual basis defining the essential characteris- –
The university as a setting for sustainable health University of Central Lancashire Mark Dooris BACKGROUND: ROOTS AND INSPIRATION The roots of the University of Central Lancashire’s project stretch back over several years. In 1992, the University was instrumental in Preston Acute Hospitals being selected as the pilot project for England within the WHO European Health Promoting Hospital initiative. Following representation on the Steering Group of this project, the University organized an international seminar on the settings-based approach to health promotion in collaboration with WHO and the North West Regional Health Authority (1). This seminar served as a catalyst within the University, leading to a growing interest in exploring the potential for applying the settingsbased approach within the institution itself. This interest was nurtured by the presence of a forward-looking Department of Health Studies within a Faculty of Health, whose understanding of health and health promotion drew extensively on health for all (2), the Ottawa Charter (3) and Antonovsky’s salutogenic focus (4). In 1995, Faculty research funding was secured to appoint a Health Promoting University Project Coordinator, initially for two years, which was subsequently made into a permanent post. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The first task in establishing the Health Promoting University Project was to clarify its conceptual basis – defining the essential characteris-
healthpromotinguniversities-concept,experience,framework.docx