Motto of the Health Policy of the International University:
“Give your time to physical culture and sport — and receive health in return!”
Health is the greatest social value, the main condition for a person to fulfill their biological and social functions, and the foundation of personal self-realization. According to the definition of the World Health Organization, “health is the absence of disease combined with a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.”
The goal of the health policy is the harmonious development and strengthening of the physical and spiritual health of students, the formation of a culture of physical fitness, and preparation for future professional activity.
To achieve the goals of the health policy, it is necessary to solve health-related, educational, and upbringing tasks:
● prevention of diseases, strengthening of health, ensuring a high level of physical condition and working capacity throughout the entire period of study;
● fostering the need to strengthen health and physical improvement through various means of physical education and a culture of a healthy lifestyle;
● formation in students of the foundations of theoretical knowledge, mastery of a system of practical and methodological skills and abilities in physical culture and physical rehabilitation, and independent physical exercise for a full, harmonious, and safe life activity.
The leadership of the university, headed by the President of the International Humanitarian University, People’s Deputy of Ukraine S. V. Kivalov, implements the health policy of the International Humanitarian University in the direction of constant attention to the development of physical education and mass sports, the creation of a modern sports and health base as important factors in the professional training of specialists and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle among students.
The implementation of the goals and objectives of the health policy of the International Humanitarian University is carried out in accordance with a long-term program for the construction of sports and health facilities equipped with modern equipment and inventory, creating the necessary conditions for a wide choice of physical education means by students that correspond to their needs, interests, health status, and level of physical fitness, for the fulfillment of educational, health-improving, and upbringing tasks.
Within the framework of the unified educational and scientific complex of the National University “Odesa Law Academy” – International Humanitarian University, students and teachers of the university have all the necessary conditions for health improvement and participation in physical culture and sports, taking into account their interests and capabilities.
The sports and health complex of the National University “Odesa Law Academy,” which includes a stadium, sports grounds, sports halls (gym, games hall, fitness hall, table tennis hall), and a shooting range, is provided to students of the International Humanitarian University for educational and training sessions, health-improving and sports events, active recreation, and restoration of working capacity after intensive studies. The activities of the Department of Physical Education of the International Humanitarian University are carried out in interaction and cooperation with the Department of Physical Education of the National University “Odesa Law Academy.”
A concrete result of the consistent health policy of the International Humanitarian University is the sports and health complex “University,” which is not inferior to the level of the best sports facilities of European universities, and the seaside embankment with a landscape park zone on the coastal slopes of the 8th station of the Big Fountain, created through the collective work of students and teachers of the National University “Odesa Law Academy” and the International Humanitarian University.
The flat facilities of the “University” complex include a football field, basketball and volleyball courts, a tennis court, a fitness area, and spectator stands. Nearby is a universal sports arena with a synthetic surface for year-round educational and training sessions in basketball, volleyball, football, tennis, and other sports. The location of the sports complex in the seaside zone, where a unique health-improving microclimate prevails, creates exceptionally favorable conditions not only for educational and training sessions and sports competitions, but also for active recreation and health improvement of students, teachers, and residents of our city.
The health-oriented focus of physical education is implemented at the International Humanitarian University in the following areas:
● general physical training through general developmental physical exercises and basic sports;
● physical rehabilitation — a specialized area of physical education for students of the special medical group who have deviations in health status;
● sports education and mass sports.
Sports education and mass sports, as an effective area of physical education for students, implement the tasks of physical and sports improvement through specific sports, preparation for and participation in competitions. Within the system of sports education of the International Humanitarian University, student sports teams have been created and the following sports are cultivated:basketball, volleyball, football and mini-football, judo, karate, sport shooting, tennis and table tennis, powerlifting, swimming, and chess. Students of the International Humanitarian University, as members of sports teams, annually participate in competitions of the Spartakiad of the International Humanitarian University, the Spartakiad of the National University “Odesa Law Academy,” and regional student games among higher education institutions.
Enrollment of students in sports sections and teams is carried out in accordance with their choice, interests and needs, health status, and level of physical fitness. Training in sports groups and sections, as well as participation in competitions, contribute to health strengthening, physical improvement, and the development of professionally important psychophysical qualities: attention, operational thinking, courage and determination, self-confidence, and endurance in extreme situations.
At the International Humanitarian University and the Economic and Legal College, mass competitions in football, volleyball, table tennis, and powerlifting are held. Traditional tournaments include the Football Cup of the International Humanitarian University among teams of institutes and faculties, as well as the Cup of the Economic and Legal College. Foreign students studying at the university are involved in participation in mass competitions.
Physical education classes for students of the special medical group who have deviations in health status are conducted in the direction of physical rehabilitation.
For them, individual programs of educational and independent training have been developed in combination with the study of the methodological foundations of adaptive and therapeutic physical culture, methods of medical and pedagogical monitoring, and self-monitoring of health status.
To ensure successful mastery by students of knowledge, skills, and abilities in physical culture and physical rehabilitation, the educational and methodological support of all forms of physical education is being improved. Introductory lectures, practical classes, and consultations present the foundations of the theory and methodology of physical education, therapeutic physical culture, and sports improvement of students.
Teachers of the department supervise the educational, extracurricular, and independent work of students of the main and special medical departments, as well as those exempted from practical physical education classes for health reasons. Lecture courses with multimedia support have been developed for the academic disciplines “Theory and Methodology of Physical Education” and “Fundamentals of Rhythmics and Choreography” for the specialty “Primary Education.”
One of the areas of scientific and methodological work of the Department of Physical Education is the topic “Adaptive, Health-Improving, and Therapeutic Physical Culture.” Modern information educational technologies are used in the educational and methodological support. An electronic library of physical culture and health education has been created at the Department of Physical Education, containing electronic texts of educational, methodological, and scientific publications, as well as multimedia resources in the following areas:“Adaptive and Therapeutic Physical Culture,” “Aerobics and Fitness,” “Sports Medicine,” “Sports Pharmacology,” “Theory and Methodology of Physical Education,” “Methods of Health-Improving and Sports Training,” “Cosmetic, General, and Sports Massage.” Information support of the health policy is provided on the website of the International Humanitarian University and on the page of the Department of Physical Education through the constant updating of informational materials about physical culture, health-improving, and sports events held at the university.