UNP Continues to Innovate to Increase Participation in the UNP Bugar Wellness Program

Padang – Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP) continues to encourage greater participation from its academic community in the UNP Bugar wellness program through a range of innovative initiatives. In addition to maintaining its regular Friday morning exercise sessions, the University plans to strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders to make the program more engaging and encourage greater participation from faculty members, administrative staff, and university leaders.

Upita Yeniza, M.Pd., Director of General Affairs, Finance, and Assets at UNP, stated that UNP Bugar reflects the University’s commitment to fostering a healthy lifestyle across the campus community. She emphasized that the program should be sustained because of its tangible benefits for the health and well-being of faculty, staff, and university leaders.

“UNP wants all of its employees and leaders to stay healthy. It would be a missed opportunity not to take advantage of the excellent facilities provided by the University. Going forward, we aim to make this program even more attractive so that more members of our academic community will participate,” she said after joining the UNP Bugar Group Exercise at the UNP campus on Friday (July 17, 2026).

As one of the university leaders who regularly participates in UNP Bugar, Upita shared that she has personally experienced the program’s positive impact. Amid demanding work schedules that often extend from morning until evening—and sometimes into the night—the weekly Friday exercise sessions provide an opportunity to maintain physical fitness while boosting energy and motivation at work.

“We work from morning until evening every day, and often late into the night. Participating in UNP Bugar makes us feel healthier, more energized, and better prepared to return to work,” she said.

She explained that UNP Bugar offers more than just group aerobics. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of UNP’s sports facilities, including the running track, swimming pool, tennis courts, and badminton courts, all of which are available free of charge according to individual interests.

“Everyone is free to choose the type of exercise they enjoy. It doesn’t have to be aerobics—you can swim, walk or jog on the running track, play tennis, or enjoy badminton. What matters most is that our academic community stays active and maintains a healthy lifestyle,” she added.

In addition to increasing participation, UNP continuously evaluates the implementation of UNP Bugar, including the quality of its fitness instructors. According to Upita, the exercise sessions should be designed to effectively improve participants’ physical fitness so that everyone can experience the program’s health benefits.

Through these ongoing initiatives, UNP hopes that UNP Bugar will become more than just a weekly activity. The University envisions it as a campus-wide movement that promotes a culture of healthy living while supporting the productivity and well-being of the entire academic community.

SDGs: SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being.

Source: Strategic Communication and Marketing Office, Universitas Negeri Padang (Utr).