In this Issue a Report appears (pp. 67–77) of a conference in the University of Edinburgh chaired by its then Vice-Chancellor, Sir John Burnett. The conference was the outcome of a series of developments, and national recognition in the UK of its theme is now called for, in keeping with the corresponding recognition it has received in other countries. The Edinburgh Conference was held at the suggestion of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (CVCP). The CVCP had received the Resolution of the Thirty-Seventh World Health Assembly of 17 May 1984, on ‘The Role of Universities in the Strategies of Health For All: a Contribution to Human Development and Social Justice’. The CVCP circulated an Office Note VC/85/101 to draw the attention of all UK universities to the Resolution, WHA 37.31. The CVCP proposed that Edinburgh University should hold a pilot conference. The proposal was immediately accepted by the Centre for Social Epistemics. The Centre's aims include two relevant concerns: (1) exploration of the concurrence of the different academic disciplines in guiding social action; and (2) study of the ways in which theory and practice are synthesized. The Centre considered that sponsoring a conference on health in its wider aspects was an appropriate activity. A planning group sent out invitations and carried out a survey of departments in the University, which disclosed wide interest among a surprising range of departments: community bodies and organizations responded with interest; the Lothian Health Board was actively responsive, and the City of Edinburgh also participated handsomely, the Lord Provost agreeing to be a speaker. The CVCP sent an eminent representative. The conference certainly showed that an unexpected diversity of academics, health services personnel, civic leaders and members of the public were interested in a concept of health which was wider than concern with illness (important as that naturally is). The conference endorsed the concept of ‘sectorality’, i.e. that very many fields of learning, a wide range of professions and numerous public bodies are implicated in the improvement and maintenance of health: to name only some university departments, education, geography, economics, pastoral studies, engineering, politics, etc. are implicated. The conference also validated the purpose behind Resolution WHA 37.31: that universities are to be seen, and should view themselves, as major resources for the health of the population in which they are situated. This perspective is particularly germane when a worldwide ‘crisis in the universities’, aggravated by, but not due to economic recession, has led to an urgent reappraisal of the purposes of the university in contemporary society. The very fact that Resolution WHA 37.31 was adopted by the World Health Assembly implies that it has been accepted in its policy implications by all member governments, including the UK. We must now wait for wider national developments, which will relate the UK in this regard to the actions being taken in many other countries.