EC2U study shows that ageing is the main challenge for healthy cities
Ageing is the biggest challenge in promoting healthy cities, according to an EC2U study presented at the University of Coimbra (UC), which conducted a stakeholder survey of 82 people in Coimbra, Salamanca, Poitiers, Pavia, Jena, Iasi and Turku.
English version: Diana Taborda
Ageing, mobility, healthcare sustainability, and housing are currently the four major challenges of urban health. These are the findings of the study “Guidelines for local authorities on health promotion”, presented at the University of Coimbra on the 7th of September by Ângela Freitas, a researcher at the UC Centre of Studies on Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT), and coordinated by Professor Paula Santana, who is also a researcher at CEGOT.
The study was carried out in the scope of the Virtual Institute for Health and Well-being of the European Alliance of Campus Universities (EC2U), and conducted a stakeholder survey involving 82 people linked to health promotion and governance.
According to WHO, a healthy city is one that puts health at the centre of decision-making, continually creating and improving conditions of its physical and social environment, employing community resources, and ensuring equitable access to resources, goods, services and opportunities in the different dimensions of health, well-being and human development.
According to Paula Santana, local governments will only be able to have healthy cities with "inter-institutional, interdisciplinary and multidimensional co-operation", combined with assessment and monitoring. Santana adds that "places, cities, and municipalities have to meet the real needs of their residents" and issues the challenge: "adapt the place to people, not people to the place".
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In regard to Coimbra, the UC Rector, Amílcar Falcão, stated that the UC carries out “very strong health research, which impacts how the university contributes to a healthier city”. Nonetheless, he is aware that this path cannot be taken alone, and that it is "a joint effort involving the university, the city, and, above all, the municipality"
This view is also shared by the Mayor of Coimbra, José Manuel Silva, who believes that "we all have the commitment to work together towards improving healthcare quality in our municipality".
At the end of the event the UC Vice-Rector for External Relations and Alumni, João Nuno Calvão da Silva, said that "this work involves the entire university community" and is a "good example of participatory democracy".
The presentation of the study brought together around 60 participants, including several representatives of municipalities from all parts of the country.
About EC2U
EC2U - European Campus of University Cities is a multicultural and multilingual European university alliance coordinated by the University of Poitiers, which aims to develop an open and innovative space allowing free mobility between universities and cities. The Alliance is based on a unique cooperation involving academic communities, municipalities, local authorities, economic and social stakeholders and citizens. Check the EC2U website for all info.