E43UDN_1: External literature sources – strategic documents, policies, articles, and podcasts

Instruction

Explore the attached external sources on well-being in the information society: strategic documents, reports, guidelines, overviews of challenges, and recommendations for ensuring well-being, such as the Council of Europe Conclusions on supporting well-being in digital education or the EUROSTUDENT reports on the topic of well-being. Additionally, watch an interesting webinar with experts from various universities who highlight the key role of digital well-being in education, emphasising a holistic approach to the physical, mental, emotional, and social health of students and teachers in an increasingly digitalised world, in line with global initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals and the Digital Education Action Plan. You can also watch an interview with Nobel laureate Professor Kahneman on the topic of well-being, held at the University of Oxford. It is important to study these materials to gain comprehensive insight into the complexity of well-being in the digital age, understand current challenges and strategies, and get the perspective of leading experts on how we can ensure a high-quality life and well-being for students, teachers, and employees of higher education institutions. The review and analysis of these external sources will help you in preparing, analysing, and improving your own guidelines and strategies for preserving well-being in your higher education institution.

The European University Association (EUA) Report gives a detailed analysis of the needs and well-being of students and staff in higher education, including the impact of digitalised learning and teaching, and provides recommendations for well-being support.

The following key recommendations for higher education institutions were identified in the report:

1. Well-being must be clearly included in the official strategies of the higher education institution and consistently presented to all stakeholders for the most successful implementation.
2. Leaders must be ethical role models and set priorities such that resources are invested in ensuring well-being, accepting that this is a long-term benefit for the higher education institution.
3. Students and employees should be treated as active partners in ensuring well-being. It is important to involve them in processes and ensure their participation, and results should be rewarded. Individual personal boundaries must never be violated.
4. It is necessary to introduce an institutional code of conduct to establish ethical standards. Leaders must commit to open dialogue and create a system for providing feedback.
5. Institutions should review and assess their approach to well-being with the goal of embedding well-being into the institutional culture.

Council conclusions on supporting well-being in digital education

This Council of Europe document is key to understanding European guidelines and policies regarding well-being in digital education and provides a framework for identifying risks and developing responsible strategies.
The conclusions highlight three levels and define recommendations related to them. Comprehensive improvement of student and teacher well-being in digital education requires synchronised action at three levels: (A) Acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies, which includes developing digital literacy, critical thinking, and resilience in students and teachers for safe and ethical technology use; (B) Designing approaches to teaching and learning and the digital environment, while creating an adaptable, ethical, and safe environment with an emphasis on balancing time spent using digital technology; and (C) Interpersonal relationships in the digital education ecosystem, which involves active management of social interactions, prevention of digital risks, and cooperation with all stakeholders. In conclusion, only the integration of digital literacy and resilience development, the creation of an adaptable and ethical environment, and the active management of social risks form a complete and stimulating ecosystem that supports the mental and emotional well-being of everyone involved.

MCSHE Student Wellbeing Framework

This framework focuses on promoting the mental health and well-being of students at universities, offering a comprehensive approach through the implementation of five key actions involving the nurturing of inclusive curricula, creating a supportive environment, and ensuring access to effective services.

Analytical Report: Student and staff mental well-being in European higher education institutions

This analytical report addresses the mental well-being of students and staff in European higher education institutions, identifying barriers to well-being and offering recommendations for whole-institution approaches to mental well-being.
As barriers related to health and well-being, the authors highlight: the culture and existing practices within higher education institutions, inequalities, discrimination, and marginalisation felt by individuals within institutions, and the impact of broader global challenges that lead to increased workloads and additional stress.

European WISE Survey Report: Initiatives and strategies in favour of student well-being in Europe

This report explores initiatives and strategies for student well-being in Europe. It classifies student needs (economic, environmental, psychological, and social) and proposes solutions for improving student living conditions.

EUROSTUDENT 8 Topical Module Report: Well-being and mental health among students in European higher education

This topical module provides a detailed overview of the well-being and mental health of students in European higher education, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, factors affecting well-being, and the availability of counselling services.
Key findings of the research
- Increased concern for well-being: The COVID-19 pandemic and related measures (such as social distancing and online classes) drastically affected students' mental health, causing an increased sense of loneliness, anxiety, and stress, which led to a rise in mental health issues.
- High rate of poor subjective well-being: A significant number of students across all EUROSTUDENT countries report poor well-being (measured by the WHO-5 index), with percentages ranging between 37 % and 58 %. In almost a third of the countries, more than half of the students report "poor" well-being.
- Health and happiness: The majority of students (between 57 % and 84 %) assess their general health as good or very good, which is higher than in the general population, likely due to their younger age.
- Isolation: Most students do not feel isolated, but there is a trend of greater isolation from fellow students and others in general than from family and friends. The highest share of students feeling isolated from peers is in Finland (51 %). Sweden (29 %) and Finland (23 %) have the highest reported rates of mental problems, while the lowest are in Romania (1 %), Croatia, and Latvia (4 %), which may not necessarily reflect actual prevalence but also differences in awareness.
- Types of mental health issues: Nearly one-third of students (29 % in Sweden) report mental health problems. Among those who report them, the most common issues are depression and anxiety disorders (71 %).
- Use of counselling services: Although most students are aware of study and psychological counselling services, only a minority find them appealing (for study counseling, highest in Denmark at 34 %; for psychological, highest in Finland at 19 %). Most students who visit a counselling center find it useful.