RSPH have been working with Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) to integrate the RSPH Level 2 Understanding Health Improvement and Level 1 Health Awareness Awards into their Health Degrees.

The first university in the country to do so, SHU recently delivered two train the tutor events to introduce the RSPH level one and two awards into their teaching programmes. This is excellent news, as this will take steps to ensuring that students, and their tutors, have a good grasp of their own health and well being, right from their initial induction.

SHU is taking the first important step towards becoming an exemplar Healthy University, in line with the government's Healthy Universities Framework for Action. The framework aims to increase the profile of health and sustainable development in teaching, research and knowledge exchange, as well as in the wider community, and RSPH hopes that other universities will follow the example set by SHU.

Elaine Brookes, Assistant Dean of Health and Well Being at SHU, said: "Sheffield Hallam's intention to develop a Healthy Universities Exemplar shows that it is ahead of the game in meeting government initiatives on healthy food in schools and other health and well being initiatives including healthy colleges.

"We are now working with the RSPH to develop a model that can be rolled out across the university to embed good Health and Well Being practices within its day-to-day life".

Angela Duxbury, the Project Co-ordinator, added: "This is a large scale project incorporating all of our undergraduate students and we anticipate that our students will be better prepared to contribute to the health education and health improvements of the wider community".

Heather Davison, Development Director at RSPH said: “We are delighted to be working with Sheffield Hallam University and supporting their Healthy University initiative. It is very exciting to see the RSPH Level 1 Health Awareness and Level 2 Understanding Health Improvement Awards delivered in a diverse university setting. We are particularly pleased that students are being given this opportunity by their University to access a greater understanding of their own health and well being and at the same gain a nationally accredited Award’’.

For more information, please visit www.rsph.org.uk or contact Nicolette Smith at [email protected]

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Notes to Editors

The Royal Society for Public Health is an independent, multi-disciplinary organisation, dedicated to the promotion and protection of collective human health and well-being. Through advocacy, mediation, empowerment, knowledge and practice we advise on policy development, provide education and training services, encourage scientific research, disseminate information and certify products, training centres and processes.

Over 100,000 students take our qualifications each year in food hygiene, salon hygiene, pest control, health & safety, nutrition, the built environment, meat inspection, health and emergency planning. We provide qualifications which are directly relevant to the workplace and we help people to progress through their chosen career by offering qualifications at different levels. The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) is also an awarding body recognised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). We have a network of over 1500 training centres throughout the UK. We provide a wide range of course material including syllabuses and sample exam papers.

The RSPH is an independent charity formed in October 2008 with the merger of the Royal Society of Health (RSH) and the Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH). The RSPH has a Royal Charter and Her Majesty The Queen is our Patron.