The MOU Signing Ceremonies from the 3rd AUN International Health Promotion Conference

At the 3^rd AUN International Health Promotion Conference on 20 January 2023, the Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremonies were conducted after the brilliant discussions and knowledge exchanges between speakers of distinguished ASEAN universities. If you would like to read more about what was shared at the conference, you can find it here! This article however, is about the three signing ceremonies, two that will ensure the continuation of AUN Health Promotion Network (AUN-HPN) and one being a signing ceremony of the Conference Statement. After wrapping up the signing ceremonies, the co-host for the 4^th AUN International Health Promotion Conference was also announced, Universiti Malaya.

The three documents that were signed at the conference are the following:

1. MOU Signing Ceremony between Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and ASEAN University Network - Health Promotion Network (AUN-HPN)

One of AUN-HPN’s most significant intersectoral collaborations is with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, also known as ThaiHealth, an autonomous government agency established by the Health Promotion Act in 2001. The mission of AUN-HPN and ThaiHealth aligns together in inspiring individuals of all sectors to support the health promotion movement in Thailand. The collaboration between AUN-HPN and ThaiHealth is a mutual relationship with both institutions benefitting from mutual aid from each other. On top of funding from Mahidol University and other partner universities, ThaiHealth also funded a number of AUN-HPN’s activities.
According to Dr. Supreda Adulyanon, CEO of ThaiHealth, the strategic alliance with AUN-HPN and Mahidol University has been beneficial since they are well-respected institutions with expansive connections. Furthermore, working closely with AUN-HPN fulfills one of Dr. Supreda’s strategies to involve academic sectors in the development of multidisciplinary research and the fostering of high-quality quantitative research that could impact policy-making. With AUN-HPN’s expansion, this has the potential to push for regional public health laws.

The MOU between ThaiHealth and AUN-HPN was signed by

1. Dr. Nuttapun Supaka, Director of Partnership and International Relations Section, Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth)
2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thunwadee Suksaroj, Deputy Executive Director of AUN-HPN and Acting Deputy Director for Research and Academic Affairs, ASEAN Institute for Health Development

MOU Signing Ceremony between ThaiHealth and AUN-HPN

2. MOU Signing Ceremony on the implementation of the Healthy University Rating System

The Healthy University Rating System (HURS) is a tool that was developed by AUN-HPN to assess the progress of a university in health policies. It contains 42 assessment items based on 22 areas of the Healthy University Framework (HUF). The rating system was officially launched in August 2021 with the participation of 8 universities from AUN-HPN’s network.The latest rating in 2022 saw the participation of 13 universities with 3, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and Universiti Kebangsaa Malaysia making the top rating of 5 stars for the first time! Currently, it has been updated to the 2022 revision with the 2023 version coming soon.

The MOU on the implementation of the Healthy University Rating System was signed by:

1. Dr. Chirawath Phatsara, Assistant to the President of Chiang Mai University, Student Development Affairs Section
2. Prof. Narin Hiransuthikul, M.D., Vice President of Chulalongkorn University
3. Dr. Nuttapun Supaka, Director of Partnership and International Relations Section, Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth)
4. Asst. Prof. Taweelarp Tansavatdi, MD., Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Burapha University
5. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thunwadee Suksaroj, Deputy Executive Director of AUN-HPN and Acting Deputy Director for Research and Academic Affairs, ASEAN Institute for Health Development
6. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Udomphon Puetpaiboon, Vice President of Prince of Songkla University
7. Prof. Dr. Wongsa Laohasiriwong, Dean of Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University

MOU Signing Ceremony on the implementation of the Healthy University Rating System

3. Signing Ceremony of the Conference Statement

AUN-HPN also brought forward the Conference Statement for their Healthy University Rating System, presented in a large standing poster. Distinguished guests from various higher education institutions that are associated with AUN-HPN signed on the poster. 

The following is the full statement:

 

The following is the full statement:

Conference Statement: Healthy University Rating System (HURS)

We, the participants gathered at the 7th International Advisory Committee Meeting and the 3rd International Health Promotion Conference 2022, held 19th - 20th January 2023, in Nonthaburi, Thailand, organized by the ASEAN University Network - Health Promotion (AUN-HPN) and hosted by Mahidol University, recognize and declare the importance of our innovation development: Healthy University Rating System (HURS).

The Healthy University Rating System (HURS), formerly known as ASEAN Rating on Health University (ARHU), was presented and approved by the 12th ASEAN University Network Rectors’ Meeting on July 9th, 2021. HURS, developed based on the Healthy University Framework, is a tool used to track and assess the progress and success of the implementation of health promotion activities in universities. Utilizing the AUN Healthy University Framework as a standard for health promotion will assist, maintain, and enhance individual and collective well-being for a higher quality of life, both within the university and among community members. The HURS Evaluation System will be open annually, within the August - November time period. The first version of HURS was officially launched by the AUN-HPN in 2021 and the latest version of HURS has already been launched for assessment, the period scheduled from August 15th - November 16th, 2022.

We welcome the progress made towards the role of “universities as the centers of health & wellness” since the Manila Declaration on August 21st, 2019. We have a strong faith that the implementation of Healthy University Rating System (HURS) will lead to a better educational environment while driving and ensuring health promotion in our communities. The universities that participate in the HURS evaluation will have the possibility to increase their international visibilities and networking. It is expected that the universities that enroll in the HURS network can share their best practices on various aspects of the healthy university with others through international or local workshops held by the AUN-HPN or local host universities.

We strongly affirm our commitment to support health promotion policies and practices by implementing the Healthy University Rating System (HURS). In order to evaluate the university’s progress in health promotion through healthy university activities, we invite the AUN-HPN core members and associated universities, both within and outside of our network, to participate in the adoption of HURS.

We, as people concerned about health and well-being promotion in educational settings, do hereby commit ourselves to advocacy and action to promote health rights for all.

20th January 2023

Signing Ceremony of the Conference Statement: Healthy University Rating System (HURS)