Through the HEA, Ireland is now represented on the International Health Promoting Universities and Colleges Network.

The IHPU&C advance the Okanagan Charter internationally, inspiring and catalysing health promotion in higher education across the globe. The work of the network includes building international and regional networks, facilitating conferences, and activating the Charter through a range of initiatives worldwide.

The Okanagan Charter 

The Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting University and Colleges, calls on post-secondary schools to embed health into all aspects of campus culture and to lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally.

Created in June 2015, the Charter provides institutions with a common language, principles, and framework to become health and wellbeing promoting campuses.

“Health promoting universities and colleges transform the health and sustainability of our current and future societies, strengthen communities and contribute to the well-being of people, places and the planet.” – the Okanagan Charter

The Charter has two Calls to Action:

1. To embed health into all aspects of campus culture, across the administration, operations and academic mandates.
2. To lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally