INSP Joins Ibero-American Network to Advance Health Promotion

The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) has officially joined the Ibero-American Network of Health Promoting Universities (RIUPS), expanding its role in regional efforts to promote healthier environments through academic collaboration and public health strategies.

The INSP formalized its incorporation into the RIUPS, a regional alliance of 350 universities and 16 national networks committed to advancing public health across Ibero-America. The move positions INSP as a key player in integrating education, research, and outreach to foster health promotion in academic environments.

Education institutions are essential environments for promoting health and well-being through integrated approaches that connect learning, research, and social action, says Eduardo Lazcano, Director General, INSP. He adds that INSP will address health promotion as a behavioral social science that incorporates knowledge from biological, environmental, and psychological disciplines to encourage voluntary behavior change through education. Lazcano also underscores the importance of recognizing health promotion as a proactive concept, beyond the mere absence of disease, rooted in everyday practice and informed policy.

INSP’s recent academic restructuring now includes a health promotion unit within the core curriculum of its Master of Public Health program, says Bernardo Hernández, Director, School of Public Health of Mexico. This inclusion, he says, reflects the institute’s response to guidance from its academic committee and further embeds health promotion into its educational priorities.

The collaboration aims to strengthen professional training, research, and outreach initiatives. The agreement reinforces INSP’s commitment to fostering healthy environments through academic leadership and cross-border cooperation.