"The certification process to become a FISU Healthy Campus offers us further suggestions that should benefit all members of the university and their health," says Dennis Fink, Head of UniSport, emphasising one of the reasons for the application.

In the run-up to the World University Games - the "Olympic Games for students" currently taking place in the Rhine-Ruhr region and Berlin - the International University Sports Federation, FISU for short, selected nine German universities last year to undergo the two-year process for the "FISU Healthy Campus" certificate free of charge. With this programme, FISU aims to improve the well-being of students and all other university members. The programme takes a holistic view of health in terms of fitness, mental health, nutrition, social responsibility and sustainability.

The good performance after the first phase of the certification process has now been recognised by the ceremonial presentation of the certificate by FISU President Leonz Eder in the presence of North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for Culture and Science Ina Brandes, among others. The three-day World Conference opened in Bochum's Jahrhunderthalle on Thursday morning. The international congress is the scientific programme accompanying the World University Games, which deals with the key topics of (mental) health and sustainability in and through sport, and thus also provided the perfect stage for the winning universities of the Healthy Campus application.

Self-assessment at the start

The path to certification began a year ago for those responsible for UniSport in Wuppertal with a self-assessment in which they reported back on more than 100 criteria and whether and how they are already being fulfilled and implemented at the University of Wuppertal. The areas to be assessed included "management", "strategy", "events", "communication", "course and health programmes" and "evaluation".

The self-assessment has now been analysed by the FISU, which will use the results to make recommendations to each participating university for further measures in terms of Healthy Campus certification. "The analysis provides us with sound support for optimising health management at the University of Wuppertal and further strengthening our commitment. And it also clearly shows that we are already very well positioned," says Fink, summarising the results.

Under the umbrella of UniSports with its sports courses and its own campus fitness studio BergWerk, the diverse activities also include the Healthy University for Employees and the Student Health Centre. These include, for example, the Be active bonus programme, workshops on topics such as nutrition, mental health or deep muscle training, individual consultations and feel-good places such as the hammock park, the Snoozle room and the outdoor teaching and learning room. The University in Motion seminar, which analyses needs on campus and develops new health services in a solution-oriented manner, as well as the organisation of social events - from escape tours to sustainability days - are also proof that health is viewed and practised holistically at the University of Wuppertal.

Ranking at the end

UniSport now has until spring 2026 to implement or initiate the FISU's further recommendations. At the end of the two-year process, an external audit will be carried out, which will determine the status of the certificate depending on fulfilment of the standards: certified, bronze, silver, gold or platinum.

"The certification underlines the fact that the university sports centre makes a decisive contribution to healthy learning, teaching and working on campus. It also gives the University of Wuppertal access to an international network of universities with similar programmes and demonstrates to foreign students the valuable services that make the University of Wuppertal an attractive place to study," says Prof. Dr Peter Gust, Vice-Rector for Third Mission and International Affairs, underlining the importance of the certification as a contribution to the internationalisation of the BUW.