EPFL will celebrate its Healthy Campus certification during its upcoming “Health Days”

EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) has received the FISU’s Healthy Campus label with the highest certification level—platinum. It earned a score of 99 out of 100 in recognition of its comprehensive commitment to health.

EPFL has officially—and with honours—joined the ranks of universities that make the health of their community a daily priority. To earn the platinum level of the Healthy Campus Programme designation, a leading Swiss federal technical university in Lausanne, Switzerland demonstrated—by providing comprehensive and well-documented answers to 100 questions—that every effort is being made to ensure the well-being of everyone who passes through its doors, including both students and staff.

Worldwide, 125 universities are certified in this way, more than half of which are at the Platinum level. In Switzerland, there are 8 such universities, 6 of which are in French-speaking Switzerland, and 7 have achieved the highest level.

Exchange of Best Practices

According to Albertine Kolendowska, research associate and a project manager in the Well-being and Inclusion department of the Vice-Presidency for Human Development, “this certification is a tool for enhancing quality of life on campus, as well as cohesion and a sense of belonging within our institution. It allows us to join a network and benefit from the exchange of best practices and feedback. An informal group of representatives from universities in French-speaking Switzerland has already begun meeting. Just getting to know each other better is already a huge plus.”

According to Fernando Parente, FISU Deputy Secretary General and Director of Education and Development: “EPFL is a university of reference on a global scale, with permanent innovation as its path forward, and this is clearly visible in the assessment carried out in the Healthy Campus Programme. It also has a highly regarded sports service, with a remarkably broad offer catering to every taste and level of practice, set in an excellent location right by the campus and Lake Leman.”

Visible Initiatives

What remains to be done to maintain this level and continue making progress? “In particular, we want to strengthen initiatives promoting mental health and an inclusive, stimulating, and well-being-friendly study and work environment. One of our goals is to improve the visibility, consistency, and accessibility of the services and initiatives offered to the community,” concludes Albertine Kolendowska.

The Health Days, which begin Monday, September 28, and run for two weeks, featuring numerous activities on the EPFL and Unil (Université de Lausanne) campuses – where the FISU Headquarters are situated, fully illustrate this ambition. This event provides a unique opportunity to bring together stakeholders committed to promoting health, while raising the visibility of their initiatives within the community. Check out the programme!