SDG 3. Good Health and Well-Being

3.3 Collaborations and health services

3.3.1 - Does your university as a body have current collaborations with local, national or global health institutions to improve health & wellbeing outcomes? - YES

Univeristy maintains active and structured collaboration with local and national institutions aimed at improving public health and overall wellbeing. These initiatives are implemented through the university’s academic departments, interdisciplinary research activities. Nowadays, university’s health-related activities are organized across three interrelated levels to ensure sustainability, effectiveness, and alignment with national priorities. Local and Regional Collaborations

At the local and regional level, UrSU cooperates closely with healthcare authorities and medical institutions in the Khorezm region to address community health needs and strengthen regional healthcare capacity. The university has established clinical training bases through partnerships with multi-specialty clinics and regional hospitals. These clinical bases provide practical training opportunities for students, particularly those enrolled in the Sports Activity, Pedagogy, and Psychology faculties. Through supervised practical engagement, students gain hands-on experience while contributing to public health promotion and preventive healthcare initiatives within the community. National Health and Educational Partnerships

At the national level, UrSU maintains a strategic partnership with Uzbekistan’s medical education and healthcare system. The university has signed a formal cooperation agreement with the Urgench branch of the Tashkent Medical Academy, which serves as the primary specialized institution for medical training in the city. This partnership supports academic collaboration and interdisciplinary research, particularly integrating fundamental sciences such as Chemistry and Biology with clinical medical practice.

In addition, UrSU aligns its health- and sport-related academic programs with the policy frameworks and regulatory requirements of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. This alignment ensures compliance with national healthcare standards, enhances the quality of education, and contributes to the preparation of a highly qualified healthcare and wellness workforce.

3.3.2 - Does your university as a body deliver outreach programmes and projects in the local community (which can include student volunteering programmes) to improve or promote health & wellbeing including hygiene, nutrition, family planning, sports, exercise, aging well, and other health and wellbeing related topics? - YES

University actively delivers and hosts various outreach programs and projects designed to improve health and wellbeing in the local community. These initiatives often integrate student volunteering, faculty expertise, and collaboration with government and non-profit organizations.

Key areas of outreach include:

Sports and Disease Prevention

• Walking Marathons: UrSU frequently organizes community-wide events like the "5,000 Steps" and "10,000 Steps" walking marathons under the slogan "We Support a Healthy Lifestyle." These events involve thousands of students, faculty, and local youth.
• Morning Fitness: The university institutionalizes regular morning physical training at the "Yoshlik" sports complex, often led by students from the Faculty of Physical Culture as part of their service-learning.
• Disease Awareness: The university hosts open dialogues and training sessions on HIV/AIDS prevention in cooperation with the regional AIDS Center, targeting both students and local youth.

Environmental Health

• Green Space Project: In partnership with the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan, UrSU students volunteer for the "Yashil Makon" (Green Space) project, planting trees and maintaining green zones to improve local air quality and urban wellbeing.

3.3.3 - Does your university as a body share sports facilities with the local community, for instance with local schools or with the general public?

Community Access to Sports Infrastructure and Health Promotion

Urgench State University (UrSU) implements a formal institutional policy and sustained practice of sharing its sports infrastructure with the local community, including general education schools, youth groups, and the wider public. Through a structured “neighborhood-to-university” cooperation model, the university ensures that its sports and physical activity facilities function as both academic resources and a regional hub for promoting health, physical activity, and social wellbeing.

Guaranteed Access for Youth and Schools

In accordance with official university regulations, UrSU guarantees access to its sports facilities for local youth populations. Schoolchildren and minors who are not enrolled at the university are permitted to use the university’s sports infrastructure through participation in university-affiliated sports clubs. In addition, UrSU has established formal partnerships with local neighborhoods (mahallas) in the Urgench region. Within this framework, all academic faculties support youth from these neighborhoods by providing access to sports facilities during designated free time slots.

Sports Infrastructure and Facilities

UrSU possesses a well-developed sports infrastructure that serves both educational objectives and community outreach initiatives. The university’s facilities include three indoor sports halls suitable for year-round activities. Outdoor infrastructure consists of two football fields, two basketball courts, two volleyball courts, and an artificial mini-football facility.University provides specialized sports areas, including a tennis court, a gymnastics field, and dedicated halls for wrestling, judo, and handball.

Community Sports Programs and Events

Beyond providing physical infrastructure, UrSU plays an active role in organizing and implementing community-based sports programs. Students from the Faculty of Physical Culture participate in volunteer initiatives such as the “Youth – Sports Ambassador” program, through which they organize sports competitions and physical activity events in local neighborhoods and schools.

The university regularly hosts public health-oriented events, including mass participation marathons such as the “10,000 Steps to Health,” which often start or conclude at university facilities and are open to the general public. Furthermore, while many university-hosted tournaments—such as the Rector’s Cup competitions in table tennis and volleyball—are primarily intended for students, they frequently include exhibition matches and special categories that engage local residents and veteran participants, thereby strengthening university–community relations.

3.3.4 - Does your university as a body provide students access to sexual and reproductive health-care services including information and education services?

Urgench State University (UrSU) recognizes the importance of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and services for students and staff. University is raising awareness to empower individuals to make conscious decisions about their sexual and reproductive health by providing comprehensive services and accurate information, healthcare providers and organizations. The program aligns with global health standards (WHO) and Uzbekistan’s national health policies, focusing on education, prevention, and accessible care.

The announcement of the decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan On the “state program for reforming the healthcare system“, in accordance with the ”Healthy generation program", is aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of medical services, increasing the level of a healthy lifestyle, preserving and restoring the health of women, especially women of childbearing age, based on the issues of upbringing and upbringing of a harmoniously developed generation. We have assigned very important tasks to all medical and preventive institutions and educational institutions of the Ministry of Health of the Republic.

Services that UrSU provides

Contraceptive counseling
• Pregnancy testing and counseling
• Sexual health screenings
• Use of emergency contraception
• Confidential medical services and psychological support

Counseling Services: University counseling services often provide confidential, non-judgmental support for students navigating questions, concerns, or challenges related to sexual behavior, relationships, and identity. These services include individual therapy, group sessions, workshops, and referrals to specialized care.

Educational Programs and Workshops: Universities offer educational programs, seminars, and events to promote sexual health, reproductive rights, and healthy relationships among students. These initiatives are aimed at providing accurate, inclusive, and non-judgmental information while fostering a culture of consent, security, and well-being within the campus.

Preparing for Marriage:

To ensure the birth of a healthy child, it is necessary to pay attention to the following:
• It is important to avoid early marriage and immediate childbearing.
• Preventing marriages between close relatives.
• The ideal age for marriage should be 21-22 years for women and 23-25 years for men.
• The age gap between children should be at least 3 years, as the mother's body needs time to recover

Our partners in reproductive health

UrSU in Uzbekistan collaborates with several local and international partners in the field of reproductive health, medical education, and public health initiatives.

Government & National Partners:
Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan: Implements national reproductive health policies and training programs for medical students. Supports maternal and child health initiatives.
Committee on Family and Women of the Republic of Uzbekistan

International Organizations:

World Health Organization (WHO). Supports training programs on family planning, maternal health, and STI prevention.

USAID-funded Projects (e.g., "Healthy Mother, Healthy Child"): Focuses on improving maternal and neonatal care; potential training for UrSU medical students. May collaborate with UrSU on workshops, research, or awareness campaigns.

3.3.5 - Does your university as a body provide students with access to mental health support?

Student Mental Health and Psychological Support Services

Urgench State University (UrSU) provides comprehensive mental health support to its students through a structured psychological service system. The university recognizes mental wellbeing as a foundational component of academic achievement, personal development, and social adaptation. Accordingly, UrSU implements a multi-level support model that combines individual psychological counseling, group-based preventive training, and faculty-level monitoring.

University Psychological Center

The University Psychological Center serves as the core institutional unit for student mental health support. The center is staffed by qualified practicing psychologists, including experienced specialists such as M. Avezova, who provide confidential, individual consultations. Students may access psychological services during regular university hours to discuss personal concerns, academic stress, emotional difficulties, and issues related to adaptation to university life. All consultations are conducted in accordance with ethical standards of confidentiality and professional care.

Preventive Trainings and Motivational Programs

In addition to individual counseling, UrSU places strong emphasis on preventive mental health initiatives and proactive outreach across academic faculties. The university regularly organizes specialized group trainings aimed at preventing crisis situations, including stress, emotional burnout, and personal or academic crises. These programs are designed to enhance emotional resilience, coping strategies, and self-regulation skills among students.

To support professional self-identification and psychological adaptation, UrSU conducts targeted programs such as “Me and My Chosen Profession,” particularly for first-year students. These initiatives facilitate a smoother transition into higher education, reduce anxiety related to academic demands and future career prospects, and promote psychological stability. Furthermore, the university organizes motivational campaigns and positive climate initiatives intended to strengthen self-confidence, improve social interaction, and foster a supportive and inclusive academic environment.

Faculty-Level Psychological Support and Tutor System

Mental health support at UrSU is also integrated into students’ everyday academic experience through faculty-level mechanisms. Each student group is assigned a dedicated tutor who serves as a primary point of contact for identifying social, academic, or psychological challenges. Tutors provide initial guidance and, when necessary, refer students to professional psychologists for specialized support.

3.3.6 - Does your university as a body have a "smoke-free" policy? - YES

• 1. The policy covers all substances that a person can smoke. These include manufactured cigarettes, hand-rolled cigarettes, cigars, herbal cigarettes, and water pipe smoking (including shisha, hookah, and Hubble bubble pipes). To minimize the potential for confusion for smokers and non-smokers, Air University policy prohibits the use of any type of electronic cigarette in areas where smoking is banned on its premises and designated external areas.
• 2. This policy covers all public, teaching, and working areas of Urgench State University. Air University includes offices, libraries, corridors, staircases, storerooms, toilets, lifts, and labs.
• 3. Smoking is not permitted within the premises of the academic building on the Air University campus. Employees and students of the university, contractors, visitors, and people making deliveries to its premises are required to comply with this policy while they are on campus.
• 4. Monitoring of compliance with this policy will be undertaken throughout the academic year. The university does not permit the promotion of tobacco or tobacco products in any of its buildings. It strongly encourages its students to adopt a no-smoking policy at Urgench State University.
• 5. Urgench State University will ensure that “No Smoking” signs are displayed at entrances and prominent places in the university building.
• 6. All employees are expected to adhere to the anti-policy through strict implementation, even visitors.
• 7. Local disciplinary actions shall be enforced if a member of the faculty, staff, or student does not comply with this policy. Those who do not comply with the anti-smoking law shall be liable to a fixed penalty of a fine and disciplinary action under Urgench State University.

3.3.7 - Does your university as a body provide staff with access to mental health support?

Mental Health Support Services for Staff and Faculty

Urgench State University (UrSU) provides structured mental health support services for its academic and administrative staff. The university recognizes that a positive psychological climate among employees is essential for ensuring a productive educational environment, high-quality teaching, and effective institutional performance. Accordingly, UrSU implements a comprehensive approach to staff mental wellbeing that combines confidential psychological counseling, preventive interventions, and professional development activities.

Access to the University Psychological Center

Staff and faculty members have access to professional psychological support through the University Psychological Center. The center offers confidential, individual counseling sessions conducted by qualified psychologists. These consultations provide employees with the opportunity to address work-related stress, emotional exhaustion, burnout, and personal challenges in a secure and supportive setting, in accordance with professional ethical standards.

Team Climate and Conflict Resolution

A key focus of UrSU’s psychological services for staff is the maintenance and continuous improvement of a healthy working atmosphere within academic departments and administrative units. The Psychological Center organizes specialized training programs aimed at the prevention and effective management of group conflicts, as well as the enhancement of behavioral culture within pedagogical teams.

In addition, university psychologists collaborate closely with department heads and advisers to deans to monitor the social and psychological climate within faculties. Through regular observation, consultation, and targeted interventions, these efforts contribute to strengthening teamwork, improving communication, and fostering a supportive professional environment.