IO, Yogyakarta – The Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta has launched a Health Promoting University (HPU) program at the opening ceremony of Lustrum XIV, Friday (19/7/2019) in the UGM Courtyard Hall. The program is a UGM attempts at creating a healthy campus for the academic community.
“With this HPU program, we are designing a way to manage the university, execute our visions and missions so everything directs to activities which make us both physically and mentally healthy,” said UGM Rector Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M.Eng., D.Eng., IPU.
In his opening speech, Panut stated that currently universities are encouraged to participate in promoting healthy lifestyles and create healthy campus environments. The HPU initiative is hoped to push the development of healthy lifestyles, starting from the campus environment to impacting society as a whole.
“Hopefully, in the future, with a healthy environment, healthy lifestyle, and healthy activities, our health conditions can improve,” said the rector.
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health lecturer Prof. Dra. Yayi Suryo Prabandari, MSi, PhD, asked that the academic community, especially lecturers and education staff, to participate in exercise activities routinely held in every faculty and work unit, and to also pay attention to their food intake.
“Exercise every day if possible. Also try to eat three servings of vegetable and two servings of fruit every day and avoid fried foods,” she said.
To create a healthy campus environment, UGM is working together with Mahidol University, which represents HPU on the ASEAN level, through the Twin Center program. The HPU Twin Center program aims at developing example universities out of UGM and Mahidol University to promote health at the ASEAN level, increase cooperation in joint publication and joint communication services, and develop standardized healthy campus programs in UGM.
Through the HPU Twin Center program, UGM hopes to become a center of excellence for healthy campuses. By doing so, UGM can increase best practices and university networks which promote health in ASEAN.
UGM Lustrum XIV or the 70th Dies Natalis, occurring this year, will be filled with various academic and nonacademic activities and will continue until December. The opening of Lustrum is signaled by the release of 14 pairs of birds. The theme this year is “Academic Innovation in the Framework of NKRI for the Strengthening of the Nation’s Competitive Abilities” with the tagline “Innovating Education, Strengthening Our Nation”.
“This time Lustrum’s passion is inclusive. The event held will not only be from us and for us – but from us and for Indonesia,” said Lustrum organizer head, Dr. Paripurna, S.H., M.Hum., LL.M. (*/est)