Development of an Evaluation (process and outcomes) Toolkit to support the Implementation of the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to develop a Healthy Campus Evaluation (process and outcomes) Toolkit for institutions.

The Toolkit must support institutions, at a local level, in the implementation and evaluation of the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework including stages 3, 4, and 5 of the Healthy Campus Process. The Toolkit should include a self-review tool aligned to a set of outcomes and resources to support.

Background

The HEA is dedicated to creating a coherent system of diverse institutions with distinct missions, which is responsive to the social, cultural and economic development of Ireland and its people and supports the achievement of national objectives. The HEA oversees the implementation of the Higher Education Healthy Campus Charter and Framework (2020 – 2025), in partnership with the Department of Health, as well as the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework (2020). The HEA is committed to ensuring a culture of supporting student and staff health and wellbeing is actioned across institutions.

The implementation of the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework and the development of an evaluation toolkit builds on the Department of Education’s Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice (2018 – 2023). In this Framework, schools are asked to use the School Self Evaluation Process and refer to a set of agreed Statements of Effective Practice. A Healthy Campus, defined in the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework, ‘adopts a holistic understanding of health, takes a whole campus approach and aspires to create a learning environment and organisational culture that enhances the health and wellbeing of its community and enables people to achieve their full potential.’

The Healthy Campus Charter and Framework offers guidelines to third-level institutions to build on existing health and wellbeing actions and assists with the integration of health and wellbeing across the whole campus including teaching and learning, student supports and services, staff development, and policies. The Healthy Campus Process, contained in the Framework, offers an inclusive, coordinated approach to improving health and wellbeing.

The Toolkit should enable institutions to assess the current landscape in relation to a whole campus approach to health and wellbeing (self-review tool) at their institution and provide a set of outcomes to support implementation and evaluation. It should enable institutions to consult with their campus community, identify actions/ programmes/ policies already in place, identify the needs of their campus community, identify gaps, support action planning, evaluation, and decision-making in the context of a set of outcomes. The Toolkit is not intended for institutions to compare and compete.

Requirements and Scope

Expressions of interest are sought from researchers with relevant expertise to develop an Evaluation Toolkit for health and wellbeing, in line with the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework. Applicants should be employed in a higher education institution (HEI) with whom the HEA works under statute or who are in receipt of core public funding from the HEA (see list of eligible HEIs at Appendix 1).

The HEA encourages joint applications, including those that involve international partners. However, in instances where there are multiple project partners, a lead institution will need to be identified for administrative purposes. The development of the Toolkit should include consultation with stakeholders including the HEA, the Healthy Campus Network, and others.

The project outputs should include:

• A self-review tool for institutions that enables institutions to self-review/ assess their work in relation to student and staff health and wellbeing, in the context of the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework.
• A set of outcomes (process and impact) that allows institutions to assess the effectiveness of individual initiatives and the whole campus approach.
• As well as the self-review tool, a set of resources to support institutions to implement, monitor and evaluate the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework. Examples include student and staff surveys, focus group facilitation material, template action plans etc.

Overall, the Toolkit should:

• Enable institutions to implement the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework.
• Align to the actions under the Healthy Campus Process (namely stages 3,4 & 5).
• Align to the principles of the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework – Participation, Partnership, Evidence-Based, and Sustainability.
• Enable action in relation to the Healthy Campus Charter
• Take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
• Include student and staff health and wellbeing.
• Take a whole campus approach including the four areas defined in the Framework as:
  • Leadership, Strategy, and Governance
  • Campus Environment (Facilities and Services)
  • Campus Culture and Communications
  • Personal and Professional Development
• Support the implementation of the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework.
• Align to international policies including the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges.

Timeframe

It is anticipated that the successful applicant will commence work as soon as possible after the award has been confirmed. It is anticipated that the work will be completed by June 2024, with a draft report submitted by mid-May 2024.

Submission and Selection Process

Completed EOIs should include the following information:

• Details of previous experience of the applicant in undertaking similar projects.
• Details of the person(s) that will be assigned to the project, including their role and seniority, and their qualifications, skills, and experience, as it pertains to this project role.
• Proposed approach and steps that will be followed to complete the project requirements set out above to a high standard.
• Timeframe for delivery of the project.
• A breakdown of the proposed cost, clearly indicating whether it is including or excluding VAT.
• Any other information deemed relevant.

Applicants should note that funding of up to €50,000 is available to support this work and that value for money is one factor that will be considered by the assessment panel.

Interested institutions should submit completed expressions of interest to healthycampus@hea.ie no later than 5 pm on Fri 17th November. Queries regarding this process may be submitted to healthycampus@hea.ie.

Award Criteria

Appendix 1

List of Eligible HEIs:

• Atlantic Technological University
• Dublin City University
• Dundalk Institute of Technology
• Institute of Art, Design and Technology
• Mary Immaculate College
• Maynooth University
• Munster Technological University
• National College of Art and Design
• Royal College Surgeons in Ireland
• South East Technological University
• St Angela’s College
• Trinity College Dublin
• Technological University of the Shannon
• Technological University Dublin
• University College Cork
• University College Dublin
• University of Galway
• University of Limerick