FutureLearn, the online education provider linked to the British Open University, has announced a deal with Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to host a course on “The Monday Campaigns”.
Designed and delivered by the HEIs School of Public Health, the course aims to inform healthcare professionals and students of the campaign to encourage healthy behaviour and prevent diseases.
“While the campaign was born in America, the lessons have universal applications”
The campaign declares Monday as the “day all health breaks loose” after researchers at the university found the public more likely to engage in healthy behaviours on the first day of the week.
‘Meat-free Mondays’ (promoting vegetarianism), ‘Move It Monday’ (exercise regimens), and other initiatives feature in the course, named “The Monday Campaigns: Lessons in Public Health Promotion“.
Along with alliteration, these initiatives are based around the day of the week because it has been shown that habits started on a Monday are more likely to stick in the long-term.
The course gives learners a new campaign to study each week, which will include case studies from partners in the communities studied.
Mark Lester, managing director of partnerships at FutureLearn, said the international reputation of Johns Hopkins was instrumental in the UK-based platform’s decision.
“The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is a world-renowned institution and to be working with the School’s researchers on The Monday Campaign broadens the reach of this initiative and gives us the opportunity to make a positive difference in many people’s lives around the globe,” he explained.
“While the campaign was born in America, the lessons have universal applications,” Lester added.
The course is now open to all learners, globally, with no need for a background in public health studies. However, the institution said the course may be of particular interest to those working in schools, community groups, or wider health policy.
