Student Engagement and Well-Being in Higher Education
Summary
Student engagement and well-being are closely interwoven dimensions of the higher education experience, reflecting how learners interact with academic tasks, peers and institutional supports, and how these interactions influence their psychological health. Engagement is characterised by students’ vigour, dedication and absorption in their studies, whereas well-being encompasses positive affect, life satisfaction and the absence of distress such as burnout. Contemporary research highlights that both constructs are shaped by a balance between study demands (e.g. workload, cognitive load) and study resources (e.g. social support, feedback, autonomy). A salutogenic approach emphasises factors that foster resilience and flourishing, while a pathogenic perspective illuminates risks of stress and disengagement. Global studies demonstrate that effective environments combine clear expectations, relevant learning activities, supportive faculty and peer networks, and accessible mental health services. Practical applications include adaptive curriculum design, peer-mentoring schemes and institutional policies that address diverse student needs, from mature and working parents to international cohorts. The interplay between engagement and well-being has implications for retention, academic performance and the broader social value of higher education, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary frameworks and culturally sensitive interventions.
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Student Engagement and Well-Being in Higher Education publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in student engagement and well-being in higher education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Student engagement: A multidimensional construct reflecting students’ energy, focus and emotional commitment to learning and academic tasks.
Well-being: A holistic state encompassing positive emotions, life satisfaction and the absence of psychological distress.
Burnout: A syndrome of exhaustion, cynicism and reduced efficacy that results from chronic academic or study-related stressors.
Study Demands–Resources (SD–R) theory: A framework positing that the balance of study demands and resources determines student engagement and well-being outcomes.
References
- Study Demands–Resources Theory: Understanding Student Well-Being in Higher Education. Educational Psychology Review (2024).
- Mature Working Student Parents Navigating Multiple Roles: A Qualitative Analysis. Education Sciences (2024).
- Promoting a sense of belonging, engagement, and collegiality to reduce burnout: a mixed methods study among undergraduate medical students in a non-Western, Asian context. BMC Medical Education (2022).
- Student psychological well-being in higher education: The role of internal team environment, institutional, friends and family support and academic engagement. PLOS ONE (2024).
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