2.0 | Health Promoting School International Network Center (HPSINC)

Outreach Strategy

   In 2010, the MOE introduced an evidence-based mechanism for second-generation HPS.

    This mechanism focuses on enhancing the operation and function of a counseling team in implementing HPS effectiveness assessments and strengthening the HPS model to provide local counseling. The goal is to ensure the collection of evidence-based data on the effectiveness of HPS and to share Taiwan’s HPS experience with the international community.

    Since 2011, the MOE has implemented the Health Promoting School Counseling and Network Maintenance Project, which is an extension of the development model for HPS. This project emphasizes action research and the establishment of evidence-based second-generation HPS.

    In 2011, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) developed and attained the international accreditation standards and mechanism for HPS in Taiwan in accordance with the WHO’s 2009 guidelines, that is, the Development of Health Promoting School – A Framework for Action. Four editions of HPS international accreditation were completed in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Each time, international experts and scholars were invited to Taiwan to participate in the accreditation process, showcasing the achievements of HPS development in Taiwan.

International Outreach

The HPA hosted the 2011 International Conference and Presentation on Health Promoting School from November 16 to 18, 2011, during which five foreign experts were invited to share their experiences.

In 2013, the HPA, together with the International School Health Network (ISHN) in Canada and the American Society for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), co-organized the School Health Symposium. This pre-conference event for HPS was held from August 23–25 in conjunction with the 21st International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) World Conference on Health Promotion held in Pattaya, Thailand. The symposium was attended by 60 participants from more than 20 countries. The HPA hosted a session on Asian accreditation for HPS, presenting accreditation outcomes from China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Additionally, the HPA organized a workshop, inviting two individuals to share their experiences, namely Principal Chun-hui Lee of Guilin Elementary School in Chiayi County and Principal Ping-yan Zeng of Taian Elementary School in Taichung City, both of whom received the 2012 Gold Award of HPS International Accreditation. The Director-General of the HPA also delivered a closing keynote speech, sharing the important process and achievements of Taiwan’s HPS initiative.

At the 21st IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion in 2013, the HPA set up a TAIWAN HPA booth to introduce key events and achievements pertaining to Taiwan’s efforts to advocate health promoting workplaces, HPS, health promoting hospitals (including senior-friendly hospitals), healthy communities, and healthy cities (including senior-friendly cities and obesity prevention). Approximately 450 participants visited the booth.

In 2014, we co-organized an international conference with the ASCD, the ISHN in Canada, the European School Health Network (SHE), and the Asia Cross-Sector Network/Exchange on School Health & Development (ASH&D). The conference theme was “Assessments, Accomplishments, Anniversaries and Action: Knowing Where We are at, to Focus on Where We are Going in School Health, Development, and Education.” Twelve international experts and scholars from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, and Hong Kong shared their experiences in promoting HPS, creating a platform for mutual learning and connection. The effectiveness of HPS development in Taiwan was strongly praised by the experts at the conference.

In 2015, we hosted the 2015 International Health Promotion Conference, inviting 14 international experts from the United States, Canada, France, Thailand, and other countries to share their advocacy experiences and core competency assessment outcomes. Additionally, a meeting was organized with three foreign experts (i.e., Professor Lawrence St. Leger from Deakin University in Australia, Professor Albert Lee from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Professor Noy S. Kay from Indiana University in the United States) and four Taiwanese experts and representatives from the HPA and K-12 Education Administration. This meeting explored core indicators of HPS in Asia, discussing the development of core indicators for HPS accreditation in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Taiwan, and conducting a cross-country comparison. The participants at the meeting decided to consolidate these Asian core indicators to establish a set of global core indicators for HPS and to work toward establishing an Asia-Pacific or global network.

In 2016, at the 22nd IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion, we organized a parallel session with the theme of “Active Transportation, Active Society, and Healthy People” and showcased a poster titled “TACKLING TOBACCO.” Additionally, we published a special issue of the “Global Health Promotion” journal in collaboration with the IUHPE to publicize Taiwan’s HPS achievements internationally.

In 2018, at the 11th European Public Health Conference, we organized a symposium titled “Settings Approach in Public Health: The Case of Health Promotion in Schools in Europe and Asia.” Prof. Didier Jourdan from France and Prof. Mark Dooris from the United Kingdom, two European experts in health promotion, were invited to share and discuss the results of school-based health promotion with the project host, Prof. Fu-Li Chen. The symposium successfully attracted 30 attendees through a multi-marketing approach.

In 2022, the HPA and project leader Professor Chen Fu-li participated in the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion, which was conducted online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participating in the event were experts in health promotion from Taiwan, including Professor Wang Ying-wei, and international experts such as Professor Didier Jourdan and Professor Nathalie Dupeux from France, Professor Lawrence St. Leger from Australia, Professor Nicola Gray from the United Kingdom, and Professor Albert Lee from Hong Kong. They organized a workshop themed “Implementing Health-Promoting Intersectoral Policies to Contribute to Social Change - Supporting Every School to Become a Foundation for Healthy Lives,” during which they shared practical insights on intersectoral policy cases and research perspectives on the impact of policies and human resources on the health literacy of students. Additionally, Professor Chen Fu-li’s project team presented an electronic poster titled “Factors Influencing Children's Health Literacy: Socioeconomic Factors, School Policies, and Human Resources,” highlighting research findings that underscore the importance of HPS policies and school human resources in influencing the health literacy of students.