Health Promotion in the Academic Setting: Red Española de Universidades saludables (REUS) [Spanish Network of Healthy Universities]

In the knowledge society of the 21st century, the universities have a leadership role as institutions responsible for the academic formation that is at the forefront of technological advances. As such, and being health one of the vertebral axis of investigation/research, development, and innovation (I+D+I), the universities constitute an ideal scenario for promoting health of the university community and the society as a whole. Every university, as an educational institution, can carry out multiple activities directed to promote and protect the health of all people that are part of this community: students, teaching staff, and the administration. Activities could be directed to the creation of healthy work settings as well settings for the learning of healthy habits for all members of the community and its immediate surroundings. In this context, in November 2006, Zaragoza, Spain, was the setting for the I Meeting of the Spanish Network of Health Promotion. In this forum it was noted the need for the creation of the Red Española de universidades saludables (REUS) [Spanish Network of Healthy Universities] to promote health in the academic setting, which is currently supported by the Ministerio de Sanidad y Política Social, Ministerio de Educación, and the Conferencia de rectores españoles. This presentation will describe the development of this network and all related activities.