SDU is committed to community!
SDU's strategy to create excellent research and learning environments focuses on well-being, with the goal of creating an inclusive community where everyone at the University thrives. Well-being is not just an individual matter; it is a shared obligation for all who are part of SDU, both staff and students.
We believe that by building trust and psychological security, we can engage competent people to challenge the status quo and contribute to the development of the University as well as society. We have confidence in our students and staff and believe that the best solutions come about through close collaboration across the entire University.
Common understanding of well-being
Well-being is a frequently discussed topic, especially in the education sector, and many initiatives are underway to promote well-being.
But what does well-being really mean? How do we define well-being and how can we ensure that our well-being initiatives are aligned with the people it concerns?
We believe that our students and employees possess valuable skillsets and lived experiences that can give us insights into how they experience SDU in practice. These insights can help us identify areas where, together, we can challenge the status quo and develop new approaches.
Often the best solutions arise in concrete situations and through experience. With this in mind, SDU would like to invite everyone to a co-creation process, where together we will qualify our approach to and strengthen well-being at SDU.
Anchored in reality
To ensure that our dialogue is concrete and meaningful, the well-being event is based on the results of the 2023 Study Environment Survey as well as input from employees in connection with work environment and education evaluations.
While many at SDU are generally thriving, it is important to address the 24% of our student population who are not. People who don’t thrive are a concern for all of us, whether they are students or employees. In this year’s Study Environment Survey, 76% of the respondents indicated they are thriving, but we want to delve deeper into the question of how well-being can be improved overall and how we can support those who are not thriving.
On October 31, we will explore these issues together. In preparation for the event, we have carried out an analysis of free-text responses from the 2023 Study Environment Survey, and the results have been discussed in a working group consisting of students as well as academic and technical-administrative staff. These achievements have helped shape the themes of this year’s event.