Programme FISU Healthy Campus

The University of Turin has participated from the very beginning in the Healthy Campus project (launched in May 2020), conceived by FISU (International University Sports Federation), together with six other universities selected worldwide (Lausanne, Beijing, Perth, Johannesburg, Moscow, La Matanza). The goal is to strengthen the well-being of students in all its dimensions and to offer them an environment in which a healthy lifestyle and awareness of good practices are not just theoretical principles, but a constant, everyday reality.

The health of the student population represents a major public health issue in the short, medium, and long term, as students are the future generations and their lifestyles, attitudes, and beliefs about health will have a significant impact on population health. The responsibility of the University is not limited to ensuring adequate facilities or implementing safety procedures; it must also guarantee and encourage students to make healthy choices and take care of their health by adopting correct lifestyles, thus becoming both a healthy system itself and a catalyst for change.

A total of 100 criteria have been identified, covering different domains:

• research
• teaching
• physical activity
• respect for the environment
• management of addictions and health risks
• nutrition
• disease prevention
• mental health
• gender issues

For each domain, specific actions are identified to verify whether each university has implemented them. This process of analysis and validation has made it possible to establish a certification system for the activities and initiatives carried out, with the aim of awarding the “Healthy Campus FISU” label.

Being part of this prestigious international framework from the pilot phase has offered UniTo an excellent opportunity for self-assessment and confirms the strategic choice to consider Welfare, Sustainability, and Sport as key levers for shaping future actions—not only with attention to the local university community, but also in alignment with an international cultural process that enhances the University’s attractiveness.

The adoption of an additional evaluation metric also enables continuous comparison with other participating institutions (currently 170 universities worldwide, with more expected to join in the future), as well as the enhancement and monitoring of achieved results. This approach has made it possible to include Healthy Campus objectives in the 2021–2026 Strategic Plan and to integrate them into other tools used to measure progress.

Below is the evolution of UniTo’s medal table since joining the project in 2020:

• May 2021 – Healthy Campus Certification and Bronze level (51–65 criteria met out of 100)
• November 2021 – Silver Certification (66–80 criteria met out of 100)
• June 2022 – Gold Certification (81 criteria met out of 100)
• January 2025 – Platinum Certification (92 criteria met out of 100)