Khaberni - As part of Arab Oman University's ongoing efforts to promote a healthy university environment free from smoking, the Faculty of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the Department of Engineering, Safety and Public Services, organized an initiative under the slogan "Let's Collaborate Towards Clean Air" aimed at raising awareness among students and university staff of the dangers of smoking and its negative effects on public health and the university environment. The initiative included a range of awareness and service activities, notably setting up an educational corner to provide health advice and guidance on the harms of smoking presented by health ambassadors from the Faculty of Pharmacy students Thamama Zarqan, Aya Al-Masoud, Ala Al-Sharif, Dima Al-Mafarjeh, and Hassan Shamayleh, in addition to hanging (100) informational posters about smoking prevention across various university buildings with the help of the Engineering and Safety Public Services Department’s staff, Mr. Hamza Abu Dames and Mr. Ibrahim Nahnouh, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a smoke-free university environment.
In addition, visitors wishing to quit smoking were welcomed at the Smoking Cessation Clinic in the Faculty of Pharmacy, where they were provided support and specialized advice by Dr. Celine Abu Ghoush and Dr. Hamza Al-Hamwi, as part of enhancing healthy behaviors and supporting students and staff in adopting a lifestyle free from smoking. In line with the goals of the initiative to establish a healthy university environment, a competition for the "Best Smoke-Free Building" was launched under motivational slogans that reflect the spirit of the initiative, with prominent ones being: "For a healthy environment, clean air, better life", "Be part of the change, help us make our university a model for a healthy environment", and "Clean air starts with us". The competition aims to encourage all academic colleges and administrative units to maintain a smoke-free environment inside the buildings, raise awareness of the dangers of smoking on public health, and foster a spirit of cooperation and community responsibility among students and university affiliates.
In this regard, Professor Dr. Rana Abu Houweij, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and head of the High Committee for Smoking Prevention at the university, stated that the evaluation of the participating buildings would be based on clear criteria, including full compliance with not smoking inside the building, the extent of cooperation among students and employees in raising awareness, cleanliness of the building, and availability of appropriate guidance posters, and sharing awareness videos via social media platforms of the colleges, wherein periodic field visits will be conducted by the High Committee for Smoking Prevention. The results of the competition will be announced during the activities of the Scientific Day for Smoking Prevention on 31/5/2026, where the administration of the winning building will be honored with a certificate of appreciation and a symbolic prize, in a step aiming to establish a culture of commitment to a healthy and sustainable university environment, and to enhance the spirit of community responsibility within the campus.
Dr. Abu Houweij pointed out that this initiative reflects the university's commitment to providing a safe, healthy educational environment and enhances the role of students and affiliates as active partners in spreading health awareness, emphasizing the importance of sustaining such initiatives for their direct positive impact on the health of the university community.
