StudentWell - Supporting and measuring student well-being through cross-university interventions

StudentWell pilots four psychophysical health support interventions, developing health and well-being practices. The interventions, based on meditation, mindfulness, Alexander Technique, body movements and immersion in nature, aim to enable students to develop physical and mental well-being and to function well with others as well as in their studies.

The impact of these interventions will be measured using a validated multidimensional well-being scale. Results will be disseminated by publication and a seminar, based on which the potential for extension of the project will be explored.

Roles of project partners:

University of Florence: selecting online e-learning tools, delivering body and mind awareness intervention, psychometric statistical analyses
Semmelweis University: Autogenic Training intervention
Linnaeus University: Forest Bathing intervention
University of Birmingham: Alexander Technique intervention
All partners: evaluations, analysis of potential future developments and possible funding, final report, publication, seminar

Project goals and objectives

• Developing assessment protocol to measure student well-being and project impact on well-being
• Delivery of four interventions (face to face/blended learning/online)
• Testing effectiveness of online e-learning tools
• Open Access Publication
• One-day seminar
• Identifying funding for future developments
• Group-work methodology based on the proposed well-being interventions

Purpose and Significance

Students report a range of discomforts and obstacles impacting on their lifestyle and well-being including a loss of contact with their own bodies, stress and fatigue from study and working to deadlines. The project aim is for students to gain an experiential understanding of their somatic, affective and cognitive stress reactions in order to transform them and learn to sustain well-being. StudentWell corresponds with EUniWell’s objective of supporting student health and quality of life and fits with WP2 (Education and Training) and WP4 (Society and Education). The well-being measurement methodology adopted could be applied in several EUniWell contexts.

Implementation Method

Using the validated well-being scale, the project will analyse the results of the four online/blended and in-person interventions. The use of the specific e-learning tools will also be evaluated.

Timeline

• 15 April 2022: launch date
• April-September 2022: planning interventions, defining and scheduling the well-being assessment, selecting online e-learning tools, publication of website
• September- December 2022: beginning delivery of interventions, feedback collection
• 15 December - 15 April 2023: completion of interventions, follow-up interventions, well-being analysis and evaluation, assessment of future research development and funding opportunities,writing the publication, final report, seminar in Florence

Expected Outcomes

Improved well-being and quality of life for students, particularly in terms of reduced stress and anxiety, increased attention, awareness and management of perceptions and emotions.

1. Incentivise students to continue improve their well-being and flourishing
2. Facilitation of exchange, interaction and relationship building among EUniWell students
3. Identification of funds and resources for the implementation of future developments