Expanded access to student wellbeing support

The Universitat de Barcelona (UB) and the Universitat de Lleida (UdL) have joined the Generalitat’s health prevention and promotion programmes for Catalan universities. They follow the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), which has participated since 1999 through its Fundació Autònoma Solidària (FAS) Health Programme. The initiative is supported by the Generalitat’s Drug Addiction Subdirectorate and aims to promote biopsychosocial wellbeing among university students, going beyond the absence of illness to include mental, emotional and social health.

Peer-led education and preventative services

The FAS Health Programme trains students as Health Agents who operate the Xiringu, a roving information point on campus that provides advice on sexual and affective health, substance use, mental health and healthy lifestyles. The model originated in a European project called "En plenes facultats", focused on preventing drug dependency and high-risk behaviours in university settings. Students receive reliable, verified information to help them make responsible decisions about their habits and consumption. The programme also organises monographic training sessions on sexuality and drug use, open to the entire university community.

  • Promotes awareness of HIV, STIs and unintended pregnancies
  • Offers guidance on mental health, self-esteem and emotional wellbeing
  • Shares resources beyond campus services
  • Facilitates referrals to external specialist organisations
The programme aims to promote healthy lifestyles among students at the UAB, on the understanding that health is not just the absence of illness but a state of biopsychosocial well-being.

This expansion means more students across Catalonia will benefit from peer-led health education and preventative care, with UB and UdL now implementing similar frameworks under the Generalitat’s umbrella programme Prevention in Educational Settings.

Primary sources: drogues.gencat.cat. Reported by uab.cat, UAB - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, _r_fascomunicacio, universitatssaludables.cat, guiadocent.udl.cat, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.