European Network of Health Promoting Schools: the alliance of education and health

Schools intend to help pupils acquire the knowledge and develop the skills they need to participate fully in adult life, but all too often fall short of this goal. In 1991, three international agencies in Europe – the European Commission (EC), the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Council of Europe (CE) – launched an innovative project to combine education and health promotion in order to realize the potential of both. Along with the three leading  organizations, dozens of European countries and hundreds of schools have formed the European Network of Health Promoting Schools (ENHPS) to create within schools environments conducive to health. Working together to make their schools better places in which to learn and work, pupils and school staff take action to benefit their physical, mental and social health. In the process, they gain knowledge and skills that improve the outcomes of education.