Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 3-4 February 2025 – Partners of the Schools4Health initiative, an EU-funded project aimed at integrating health-promoting approaches in schools, gathered for a consortium meeting in February 2025. The meeting brought together experts in school health and education policy from across Europe to discuss how to strengthen the link between health and education, overcome implementation challenges, and ensure the long-term sustainability of health-promoting school (HPS) approaches. 

Embedding Health in Education: A Policy Priority 

The meeting reinforced that health and education must be addressed together to ensure students' long-term well-being and success. Discussions focused on how to embed health promotion into education policies, as a key driver to improving educational outcomes, aligning with key European initiatives such as the WHO’s Child and Adolescent Health Strategy and the EU’s Pathway to School Success. 

Partners identified the need for stronger national and EU-level commitments to integrate health promotion into school structures, ensuring it is not treated as an “add-on” but as a core pillar of education policy. The upcoming Schools4Health policy briefs will address: 

• The long-term benefits of investing in Health-Promoting Schools, demonstrating how these approaches contribute to better academic performance, stronger economies, and healthier societies. 

• Health equity in education, ensuring that all children—regardless of background—have access to a school environment that supports their physical and mental well-being. 

• The link between health, sustainability, and the school environment emphasises how education systems can address student well-being and environmental responsibility. 

Lessons from Implementation: How Schools are Adopting the HPS Approach 

Schools4Health is currently transferring and adapting good practices across 16 pilot schools in partner countries, with a focus on schools in deprived areas where students are at greater risk of health inequalities. Partners shared insights on early successes, challenges, and key lessons from the pilots. 

• In Spain, high schools implementing the Snack&Chill initiative found that schools, municipalities, and businesses can collaborate effectively to promote healthier eating habits. However, securing sustainable food supplies remains a challenge, requiring stronger partnerships. 

• In Hungary, teachers were given flexibility in implementing health-promotion activities. Schools reported that this approach boosted teacher motivation and creativity, allowing them to tailor initiatives to their students’ needs while engaging families and local food producers. 

• In Slovenia, schools will soon showcase their results at a regional event, creating momentum for broader policy uptake and providing a model for integrating HPS principles into secondary education. 

• In Romania, two best practices—Better Movers and Thinkers (BMT) and Lifeskills—are preparing for rollout. The discussion focused on potential barriers, including teacher capacity and parental support, and how to address them. 

A recurring theme across all pilots was the importance of school autonomy in adapting health-promoting practices to fit local contexts. Partners emphasized that providing schools with a framework rather than a rigid model helps ensure long-term sustainability. 

Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability of HPS Approaches 

A key focus of the meeting was how to sustain health-promoting school initiatives beyond the project’s duration. While pilot activities demonstrate short-term successes, partners stressed the importance of structural changes to ensure the lasting integration of HPS principles into education systems. 

Key sustainability strategies discussed included: 

• Policy Alignment: Embedding HPS within national and EU education and health strategies to ensure long-term funding and institutional support. 

• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Strengthening partnerships between schools, municipalities, public health authorities, and local businesses to sustain and expand initiatives. 

• School Leadership Engagement: Ensuring that school leaders and administrators are actively involved in health-promotion efforts, making it part of the school’s long-term culture. 

• Capacity Building for Teachers: Providing teachers with practical tools, training, and resources to continue implementing HPS activities beyond the project timeline. 

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Developing clear indicators and data collection processes to track the long-term impact of HPS and advocate for continued investment. 

Next Steps: Expanding Impact and Securing Commitment 

The Schools4Health partnership highlighted the importance of translating pilot successes into sustainable policy change at national and EU levels. Schools4Health will continue to engage policymakers, practitioners, and school communities to scale up best practices and strengthen advocacy efforts. 

With education systems across Europe facing increasing challenges, from mental health concerns to growing health inequalities, Schools4Health partners are making the case that embedding health in schools is not just beneficial but essential for the future of education, well-being, and social cohesion. 

For more information, visit www.schools4health.eu or reach out to us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: 
This project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor HaDEA can be held responsible for them.