The Volga Region University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism has been named one of six Russian universities whose successful practices in creating a healthy and comfortable environment for students were featured in the annual FISU "Healthy Campus Best Practices – 2026" collection.
The university submitted initiatives focused on promoting physical activity and adaptive sports, healthy nutrition, and "phygital" (physical-digital) activities. Key examples include a sitting volleyball project, a Phygital Sports Development Center, and programs for mentorship and balancing a sports career with academic studies.
FISU Healthy Campus is a global international program that comprehensively assesses the well-being of the student community across seven areas: physical activity and sport; disease prevention; mental and social health; prevention of risky behaviors; environment, sustainability, and social responsibility; and nutrition.
Today, the program brings together 230 universities from 47 countries across five continents. Seventeen Russian universities also participate in the project. In 2024, the Volga Region University became the first university in Tatarstan—and the first sports-focused university in the country—to be awarded the FISU Healthy Campus Platinum Certificate. Following an assessment by a delegation of experts, the university was found to meet 93 out of 100 criteria. The university worked toward this highest level of certification in stages starting in 2021, successfully achieving each successive tier: Initial, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and finally, Platinum.
This achievement confirms the sports university’s status as an institution committed to student well-being at an international standard and integrates it into a vast global community, offering students opportunities to exchange experiences and participate in major events.
Text: Adelina Khramova
