New academic centre for healthy schools started at the U of A

The Faculty of Education has a new academic centre to focus research and advocate for healthy school environments.

Called the Centre for Healthy Schools (C4HS), the newly formed academic centre was approved at the General Faculties Council, the highest academic decision making body at the University of Alberta, on October 23. The Academic Planning committee passed the proposal to establish the centre.

C4HS will research and advocate for the understanding of issues and opportunities surrounding health and wellness throughout the education system, from kindergarten to the doctoral level, in an interdisciplinary manner. It will have students, researchers, and external stakeholders to explore topics like health, physical education, health literacy, mental health, and teacher education.

According to documents supporting the creation of the centre, the U of A currently has a number of initiatives researching education and health in different faculties or schools, like Kinesiology, Sport, & Recreation, the School of Public Health, and Agricultural Life & Environmental Science. The new centre will allow this to happen in one centralized location for better collaboration and harmonization.

The documents add that there is currently no centre with this type of focus in Canada. The centre will be scaled up over the next five years as its capabilities and finances develop. The healthy schools centre will receive revenue from fees for providing professional development workshops to teachers or school administrators, hosting events and conferences, government grants, and opportunities from the faculty of education’s advancement office.

The C4HS will be housed in the south tower of the education building on the second floor.

In a letter of support for the foundation of the healthy schools co-signed by Andre Costopoulos, Dean of Students, and Wayne Patterson, vice-provost and associate vice-president (human resources), said they jointly agree the centre for healthy schools provides a new service and research opportunity.

“[The C4HS will] leverage existing strengths at the university and to create action that will benefit the health and well-being of the entire university community,” they wrote.

“The Centre’s work will enhance our reputation as a leader in the study of integrated health and allow for collaboration within our research, teaching, and learning environments,” they said.