FISU Healthy Campus has arrived at UNIL in Lausanne ©FISU

The University of Lausanne (UNIL) has become the 40th institution to join the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Healthy Campus programme.

With the FISU Healthy Campus initiative launching five months ago on May 12, there has been a growth in universities joining the campaign, representing 30 countries and five continents.

"It is a great pleasure for us to have UNIL join the FISU Healthy Campus programme," said FISU secretary-general chief executive Eric Saintrond.

"Our cooperation with UNIL started back in 2014 with the Lausanne in Motion festival.

"In fact, it was two students from UNIL who did their Masters' thesis on this concept, who were the first to start working on this project for us.

"That was a first step to showcase health and fitness for all, and from there we developed the concept further into what is now the vast Healthy Campus project.

"UNIL has partnered us closely as a pilot university in the development of this programme and we are aware of the immense importance UNIL attaches to its sports programme as well as the well-being and holistic development of its student community.

"I am sure UNIL will play an exemplary role in the further development of the FISU Healthy Campus programme."

FISU launched its Healthy Campus project in May in a bid to help students remain active while universities were closed owing to the coronavirus pandemic ©FISU
FISU launched its Healthy Campus project in May in a bid to help students remain active while universities were closed owing to the coronavirus pandemic ©FISU

UNIL currently offers 143 different physical activities on campus and in 2019, the university had 373,084 participants in university sports programmes.

"This year the 'Jours Santé' (Health Week) fortnight is not exempt from the restrictions imposed by the health crisis," said Sonia Matthey, the head of UNIL-EPFL Sports Development and operational manager of the FISU Healthy Campus project.

"The objectives this year are therefore to disseminate messages about health to the target audience through infographics at a public exhibition.

"Despite the constraints imposed by the health crisis, we have also tried to put in place situations that will allow us to keep a sustainable legacy to the event."

More than 15,000 students at UNIL will now have the opportunity to learn about health and well-being through the Jours Santé fortnight, but also be part of the FISU Healthy Campus programme in the long-term too.

FISU currently has its headquarters at the UNIL too having relocated in 2018.