The 2025 International Health Promoting Campuses Conference was held in Limerick, Ireland.
A group of Elon leaders recently returned from the International Health Promoting Campuses Conference (IHPC) in Limerick, Ireland, where they led a workshop spotlighting Elon’s innovative approach to campus design that promotes well-being and social connections.
Anu Räisänen, director of HealthEU initiatives; Brad Moore, associate vice president for facilities and chief facilities officer; Jana Lynn Patterson, associate vice president for student life and dean of student health and well-being; and Leo Lambert, professor of education and president emeritus, co-designed a workshop titled “Creating University Environments That Facilitate Healthy Relationships and Wellness.”
The workshop explored:
- Relationship-rich education, grounded in research by Peter Felten and Leo Lambert
- An overview of HealthEU, Elon’s health and well-being initiative
- Principles of facilities and environmental design that facilitate learning, belonging, and connections between students, faculty, and staff.
Held from June 16–19, 2025, the IHPC Conference marked the 10th anniversary of the Okanagan Charter, a global framework for health promoting universities. Hosted by the University of Limerick, the event gathered international educators, health professionals, and campus leaders to reflect on progress and chart future directions for sustainable and inclusive campus health promotion and well-being strategies.
Elon University’s contribution underscored its commitment to cultivating a campus culture where relationships and holistic well-being are central to the student experience.