The aim of the Student Wellbeing Manifesto is to create a shared vision on student wellbeing within Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR).
The Manifesto was signed by the Rector Magnificus and directors of education of all faculties after the opening ceremony of the 2022-2023 Academic Year. We invite all EUR staff and students to anonymously endorse it by casting a vote of support (via MyEUR). You can read the Manifesto below.
Manifesto on EUR Student Wellbeing
Erasmus University Rotterdam believes that as a knowledge institution we have a responsibility for addressing modern complex societal challenges; therefore, EUR’s mission is to create positive societal impact. To achieve this, the university’s primary focus is on their students, the future generation entering society and the job market to make a positive impact. Professional and personal development are at the centre of EUR’s mission and are both underpinned by optimal levels of wellbeing in students and in the key stakeholders working with them, such as teachers and student support services.
This manifesto is part of a university-wide comprehensive program focused on the wellbeing and personal development of all EUR students. A special focus on wellbeing is crucial to fulfil the mission of educating and preparing balanced, socially involved citizens of the future. To achieve this, a shared vision on the EUR approach to student wellbeing is necessary, bringing all key stakeholders in our university together. We hope our efforts can be also used as an inspiration for other higher education institutions in supporting students along their journey into adulthood.
The EUR has adopted the Universities of Netherlands’* definition of student wellbeing, described as ‘a state [...] in which students are able to make use of their abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of the student life, can work productively to further their personal development, is able to maintain a balance between positive and negative aspects of student life, and are able to contribute to the academic community and society in general’.
Such definition involves a holistic, comprehensive view on wellbeing broader than mental wellbeing alone and acknowledges the central and active role students play in nurturing their own wellbeing. It also entails (optimal) levels of physical, social, and cognitive wellbeing that are characterised by resilience, allowing personal and academic development to flourish and promoting student success.
The EUR approach to promote the wellbeing of our students is driven by the following core values:
- Person-centeredness
- Inclusivity
- Accessibility
- Rooted in scientific evidence
- Innovation
- Transparency in goals and outcomes
- Free of charge
These EUR values are used consistently in the concretization of the EUR approach to student wellbeing into actions, services, tools, and policies, based on the following overarching goals:
A cultural transition from study success to student success is paramount. The current academic culture, primarily focused on performance, high achievement, and competition at all levels, can be detrimental to students’ wellbeing and personal development. The university as a higher education institution is focused on both knowledge achievement, as well as the cultivation of skills and individual talents that will allow our students to face challenges in their future professional and personal life. Examples of actions to reach this goal include implementing a) teacher trainings focused on how educational staff can contribute to student success and on both the students’ and their own wellbeing, and b) a tailored personal development track for all EUR students, wherein students can design their own package of personal development courses from the broad EUR range and receive corresponding ECTS.
A key goal of including wellbeing in the fabric of the university involves normalizing the need for time, effort, attention, and care for everybody’s personal development and wellbeing. In doing so, EUR wants to promote a ‘sense of belonging’ to the university community, supporting values of collaboration and compassion. Examples of actions to reach this goal include a) events such as wellbeing weeks, b) the creation of a free shared space on campus open to all students (e.g., EUR Living Room), and c) the organization of personal development workshops for students around being a supportive peer, coping with stress, procrastination, perfectionism, etc., as well as for educational staff to support their front line role with students (e.g., mentoring and soft-skills development, mindfulness, stress management).
We use a bottom-up approach, meaning that the university actively listens to
the voices of its students, and that their needs and preferences are in the lead of the creation of tools and services supporting them (i.e., co-creation) in caring for their own wellbeing. The services offered by EUR are accessible to everybody, free of charge, and reflect the needs of our diverse student body. Examples of actions to achieve this goal include a) collaborating with a variety of student associations representing the diversity of the EUR student population, b) organising regular focus groups with diverse groups of students; c) training students to act as hosts in the Living Room, and d) students actively participating in the Student Wellbeing Learning Community.
Student wellbeing is structurally embedded in all EUR strategic policies and plans (e.g., education, support services, educational staff training). All key actors and participatory bodies are involved within their own professional expertise and role (e.g., study advisors, teachers, executive and faculty boards, student support services). A comprehensive university-wide student wellbeing program involves the creation of a ‘chain of care’ integrating centralized as well as faculty-based services supporting students across a variety of needs. Examples of actions to reach this goal include a) the representation and collaboration of all university participatory bodies in the Student Wellbeing Learning Community, and b) frequent consultations with staff members, University and faculty councils, student counsellors, and faculties.
Free tools and services are provided to students for every phase of their journey into cultivating their personal development and wellbeing. To achieve this, a stepped-care approach to student wellbeing involves different levels of support, ranging from universal prevention strategies for all students promoting personal development and a healthy lifestyle, to indicated support and prevention strategies for students experiencing more severe difficulties to help them learn how to cope and address their challenges, and referral to specialized services when needed. The variety of services and tools offered by the university are designed to meet the diversity of students’ needs and preferences. Examples of actions to reach this goal include offering a) personal development workshops, b) a peer-to-peer chatline inviting EUR students to support fellow students in need, c) university psychologists and counsellors, d) anonymous online coaching services, and e) physical spaces to relax, socialize or receive peer-to-peer support (e.g., Living Room).
Students should be able to access the support they need when they need it, implying that EUR wellbeing services need to be findable and accessible in due time and all year round. The overview of the EUR support chain at both central and faculty level is as crucial for students as it is for staff, who can refer students to the right care service. Short waiting times are important for students to quickly know whether the chosen help is appropriate. Examples of actions to reach this goal include a) publishing an overview and explanation of all components of the EUR chain of support, b) reducing waiting time for dedicated support by university psychologists to a maximum of 10 working days, and c) training for educational staff in detecting signs of problems in students and referring them to the right service.
All services, tools, activities, and policies offered to students are based on scientific insights and empirical evidence and are driven by innovation in their design and implementation. Examples of actions underpinning this goal include a) the yearly EUR Student Wellbeing Monitor survey to substantiate adjustments in policies and activities, b) the collaboration with the Caring Universities consortium, c) empirical research to determine the satisfaction and effectiveness of a digital wellbeing tool, and d) a transparent empirical impact and process evaluation of goals and output of EUR’s actions and services to support student wellbeing.
* Vision on Student Wellbeing. By the Universities of the Netherlands. UNL, March 2022.