Wittenborg's Project Week 3 Theme: SDG#3 Good Health & Well-being

20.12.2022

Wittenborg's Project week 3, 2022, kicked off officially today with the theme of 'Good Health & Well-being' in support of the United Nations' SDG#3. The kick-off event, held at the Orpheus Theater in Apeldoorn, was officially opened by Wittenborg’s Director Peter Birdsall and attended by more than 250 students, faculty and staff.

In his welcoming speech, Birdsall said the theme of Good Health & Well-being was voted for by both students and faculty during a survey carried out last year. Based on this voting, Wittenborg has made Good Health & Well-being the theme running throughout its operations during the 2022-2023 academic year (read the news here). During this 3-day event, students will be immersing themselves in issues of health & well-being, such as coping with stress, healthy food & lifestyle and mental health. Besides lectures, there will also be webinars, workshops and debates.

Following Birdsall's opening speech, Dr Cha-Hsuan Liu, Associate Professor at Wittenborg and a prominent speaker, took the stage and spoke to students about the importance of ensuring physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being. She encouraged students to be the 'change makers' and see challenges as opportunities rather than burdens.

The mike then passed to another well-known speaker, food & lifestyle coach Ellen Luttikhuis, who impressed on the attendants the importance of a healthy diet together with physical activities on a daily basis.

On another note, Arko van Brakel, General Manager at Cleantech Region, talked about how to become better and more sustainable entrepreneurs while avoiding burnouts. He reminded the audience to always give their 100% not only in work, but also in play.

As explained by Assurance of Learning Manager Kriszta Kaspers, as part of the assessments of this Project Week, students are required to work in groups and produce a poster as the final deliverable. The task is to research a community/region’s access to quality health care services and evaluate possible solutions to the health and well-being challenges faced, taking into consideration cultural and economic realities.

When asked why the theme is important for Wittenborg, Head of School of Business Dr Rauf Abdul said that according to research, a healthy lifestyle and well-balanced diet are linked to good academic achievements. Students will be more productive in their studies and are more likely to contribute to Wittenborg and the larger community in diverse ways. In addition, he added, "Students with good physical, mental, social and spiritual health are better able to cope with stresses or any study or research-related challenges. A positive mind is more open to new ideas, creativity and innovation, and all these will make them achieve more, not only in the classroom but also in the community at large in their own, unique ways."