Expanding European perspectives on health promotion

Health promotion has grown rapidly over recent decades to provide a distinctive perspective to maintaining and improving health. Much of its development has occurred on the international stage with initial impetus from the World Health Organization. More recently the European Commission (EC) through its DG SANCO has initiated its own health promotion approach throughout the countries of the European Union (EU). In parallel with this development, the EU has also encouraged the growth of common approaches to higher education policy and practice. These two converging trends are described and discussed in this article, with specific reference to the EUMAHP Project, funded by the EC, to develop a Masters Programme in Health Promotion across all member states of the EU