Health-promoting higher education institutions (HP-HEIs) as a global movement: performance assessment measures, commonalities and differences across continents

Purpose This study aimed to explore the global landscape of health promotion (HP) in higher education institutions (HEIs), with the objective of finding answers to the research questions. RQ1: What are the popular HP strategies and initiatives taken by HP-HEIs? RQ2: What are the building blocks for HP-HEIs? RQ3: What are the challenges and enablers of health-promoting higher education institutions (HP-HEI) initiatives? RQ4: What are the performance assessment components for HP-HEI initiatives? RQ5: What are the perspectives of HEI stakeholders on HP-HEI as a global movement? Design/methodology/approach Six focus group discussions with 60 participants were performed for the data collection. The participants were primarily the Educators and administrative staff of HEIs. Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis process is used to analyze data. Findings Twenty-three subthemes and seven themes, namely strategies and initiatives for HEIs, HP-HEI building blocks, stakeholder engagement and collaboration, HP-HEI transformation challenges, enablers of HP-HEI transformation, HP-HEI performance assessment and HP stakeholder’s perspectives of HP-HEI as a global movement, were identified from the transcript. Practical implications Regular assessments of well-being indicators, such as quality of life and self-assessed health, should complement academic performance metrics to provide a more comprehensive understanding of student and staff health. HEIs must reconsider rigid health policies, such as alcohol-free campus regulations and instead adopt context-sensitive, harm-reduction strategies that align with both global health goals and local cultural norms. Social implications HP initiatives in HEIs significantly impact the social fabric of the institution by fostering a culture of well-being and active living. By aligning their efforts with global frameworks like the sustainable development goals, HEIs can contribute to global health outcomes while promoting the well-being of their communities. Originality/value This analysis emphasizes the significant variation among HEIs in their health-promoting initiatives, particularly in aspects such as maturity, exposure, culture and resources. This original contribution highlights the necessity for tailored strategies that consider the distinct contexts and capacities of different HEIs, shaped by factors like national health policies and cultural environments. Such an approach can ultimately foster more effective and equitable HP efforts within higher education.