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The Centre for Wellbeing Science (CWS) employs evidence-based approaches to measure wellbeing and promote positive change across diverse environments, including education, workplaces, performing arts and sports.

The 2026 MAPPsaa Summit program has been released!The Master of Applied Positive Psychology Students & Alumni Associatio...
27/10/2026

The 2026 MAPPsaa Summit program has been released!

The Master of Applied Positive Psychology Students & Alumni Association (MAPPsaa) has released further details of the program for its "Designing Wellbeing" Summit on Saturday 21 November, and we're excited to share them on their behalf!

A day of connection, collaboration and inspiration awaits, with two fantastic keynote speakers:

Reuben Rusk, PhD | The Architecture of Flourishing: Designing the Conditions for Sustainable Well-being

Craig Cassey, MAPP | Love Crafting: Helping Couples Co-Design Thriving Relationships

Plus, a great lineup of speakers and breakout sessions exploring wellbeing across community, organisations, coaching and education.

It will also be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with fellow MAPP alumni, make new connections and share ideas.

📅 Saturday 21 November | 8.30 am–3 pm
📍 University of Melbourne, Kwong Lee Dow Building

Explore the program attached and book your Summit ticket: https://events.humanitix.com/mappsaa-summit-2026-designing

Looking forward to hearing insights from a fantastic lineup of presenters, including: Catherine Bell, Rachel Evans, Chi Pham Tran Kim, Varvara Egorova-Ioane, Natalie Lewis, Chris Gildersleeve, Felicity Brazil, Rhyl Jones McCoy, Ina MacKinnon, Kirsty Harvison, Katie Ashburner and Katherine Little

And there's more to celebrate! 🥂

Immediately following the Summit, the Centre for Wellbeing Science will host a special free MAPP500 celebration (3–5 pm), recognising 500 graduates of the University of Melbourne's Master of Applied Positive Psychology, with generous support from John Higgins.

Two separate events, each requiring registration. Join us for one or both!

Register for the free MAPP500 celebration: https://tinyurl.com/MAPP500

27/10/2026

From classroom teacher to system-level wellbeing leader, Jacky Hateley has never lost sight of one thing: wellbeing comes before learning.

That conviction began early in her teaching career in Melbourne's western suburbs and regional Victoria, where she saw how mental health challenges affected entire school communities.

An early adopter of positive psychology, Jacky explored how schools could build on people's strengths and relationships, rather than only responding when things went wrong. She saw the difference these approaches could make, but wanted to understand the science behind them.

For Jacky, the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at the Centre for Wellbeing Science, University of Melbourne, was the obvious choice.

"It was an absolute no-brainer."

She was drawn to the Centre by its leading researchers. But one of her biggest takeaways came from learning alongside people from other professions. She realised that education had much to learn from how other sectors approached wellbeing.

"We're not the only keepers of wellbeing."

Jacky was also struck by how wellbeing had been intentionally built into the MAPP learning experience itself. It prompted a question: if learning could be designed to support wellbeing, why couldn't schools do the same across everything they do?

She brought these ideas into a system-level leadership role with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), supporting student wellbeing leaders across more than 300 primary and secondary schools in the Western Region.

Her work ranged from professional learning to helping schools through challenging times. When addressing issues such as student attendance, she encouraged educators to look beyond what wasn't working: What strengths does this young person have? What can we build on?

For Jacky, wellbeing shouldn't be confined to a standalone program. From the school garden to the canteen, it belongs in every aspect of school life.

And what has stayed with her beyond the degree?

The people, the connections and the positive ripples.

She describes the MAPP community as "a big cheer squad that's cheering you on as you take wellbeing science out into the world."

Jacky has shared what she learned with family, friends and colleagues, who can apply that knowledge in their own lives.
"MAPP is certainly not just about yourself. It's about the ripples that it creates around you as well."

To mark 500 graduates of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology, we're sharing stories of alumni making a difference. Jacky's journey shows how wellbeing science can ripple out into schools, workplaces and communities.

🥂 Are you part of our MAPP community? Join us for the free MAPP500 celebration at the University of Melbourne on Saturday 21 November, 3–5pm!

Register: https://tinyurl.com/MAPP500

🎓 500 MAPP graduates. One incredible community. Let's celebrate!From our first cohort to our newest graduates, the Unive...
21/10/2026

🎓 500 MAPP graduates. One incredible community. Let's celebrate!

From our first cohort to our newest graduates, the University of Melbourne's Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) community has grown to 500 alumni making a difference across Australia and around the world.

To mark this special milestone, the Centre for Wellbeing Science is bringing together MAPP alumni, current students and staff on Saturday 21 November to celebrate this incredible community and its impact.

Join us for stories from our alumni, the chance to catch up with old friends, reconnect with familiar academics and meet new faces as we celebrate 500 MAPP graduates!

💛 We'd love to see you there!

📅 Saturday 21 November 2026 | 3–5pm
📍 Level 5, Kwong Lee Dow Building, University of Melbourne, Parkville
🎟️ Free to attend | Registration essential

👉 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/MAPP500

Know a fellow MAPP graduate or current student?Tag them below or share this invitation with your MAPP network. We'd love to bring together as many members of our MAPP community as possible for this special celebration and reunion!

With generous support from John Higgins.

Jacqui Francis | Wellbeing, PersonallyWellbeing is deeply personal.There is no one-size-fits-all approach to wellbeing. ...
20/10/2026

Jacqui Francis | Wellbeing, Personally

Wellbeing is deeply personal.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to wellbeing. What helps one person feel grounded, connected or supported may look completely different for someone else.

At the Centre for Wellbeing Science, we research, teach and study wellbeing every day. But we also know that wellbeing is something we each need to actively nurture.

In this series, we are introducing you to the people behind the Centre, exploring what wellbeing means to them, and sharing one practice they use to support their wellbeing.

Today, we are introducing Dr Jacqui Francis, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Wellbeing Science and Course Coordinator for the Master of Applied Positive Psychology and the Centre’s Professional Certificate courses.

For Jacqui, wellbeing starts with attending to the fundamentals: eating well, sleeping well and, importantly, moving.

Movement has always been a big part of Jacqui’s life, and these days one of her favourite ways to stay active is through long walks, especially when they take her into nature.

Mountains, coastlines, bush trails. If there is somewhere beautiful to explore on foot, Jacqui is generally very happy.

And even better if she can share it with people she loves.

Earlier this year, Jacqui spent several days walking the Kumano Kodo in Japan with her sister and niece, taking on long days of hilly and rocky terrain. Closer to home, she has walked extensively through Victoria’s mountain regions and completed Coastrek with family and friends. Even family holidays tend to have one fairly predictable ingredient: there will be walking.

For Jacqui, the appeal goes well beyond physical activity. Movement, nature and connection often come together. The chance to be active matters, but so does being outdoors and sharing the experience with other people.

That love of movement also shows up in another important part of Jacqui’s life: dance.

Jacqui danced throughout her childhood and still attends adult ballet classes today. When her boys were younger, dancing around the kitchen was even one way of turning the mood around after a difficult day. Whatever had happened, there was always the possibility of finishing the day with a dance.

Perhaps that is why movement feels like more than something Jacqui simply does for her wellbeing. In different forms, it has been woven through her life for years, bringing together physical wellbeing, nature, connection and joy.

What kind of movement helps you feel most like yourself?

A choir performing its own song. Two artists presenting paintings they had collaborated on.At RFQ’s Recovered Futures Ar...
19/10/2026

A choir performing its own song. Two artists presenting paintings they had collaborated on.

At RFQ’s Recovered Futures Art Exhibition opening night, creating together was part of the story.

Professor Liz Jones, Head of the School of Education and Society in the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education, attended the opening evening.

A key contributor to the Centre for Wellbeing Science’s partnership with RFQ - Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ), Liz was part of the team behind a report on co-production. It explores how people with lived experience, staff and researchers can share decisions and shape research and services together.

So when artists-in-residence Andrew Walters and Jacqui Kucharski described how they had created two paintings together, it struck a chord.

Each began a line drawing, then handed it to the other to complete the painting. Together, they stood before the audience to tell the stories behind their work.

An RFQ staff choir also performed a song staff had composed together through a music program.

For Liz, both the choir and the artists brought the partnership’s co-production principles to life: each person contributing their ideas, shaping the work together and supporting one another to share it.

Then one painting caught her attention for a deeply personal reason.

Jonathan Ure’s 2 Dingos featured dingoes, frangipanis and the ocean. Liz’s dog is part dingo. A frangipani tattoo represents her children and their growth. And she loves the ocean.

Jonathan began painting during a period of mental illness and isolation. Connecting with other artists helped him grow in confidence, develop his own style and find friendship and community.

Liz bought the painting. RFQ offered to connect her with Jonathan so she could tell him why it meant so much to her.

For 35 years, Recovered Futures has provided a platform for artists with lived experience of mental ill-health, personally or as carers or family members. Artists receive 85 per cent of each sale.

For Liz, the evening was a reminder of how art and music can support wellbeing through creativity, expression and connection. Seeing the co-production philosophy behind the CWS–RFQ partnership brought to life added to its meaning. Finding something of her own story in Jonathan’s painting made it all the more personal.

Explore the artworks and purchase available pieces:
https://recoveredfuturesshop.rfq.com.au/

📷 The RFQ staff choir; Liz Jones with Jonathan Ure’s 2 Dingos; Liz with artists-in-residence Andrew Walters and Jacqui Kucharski; and Liz with Mark Davey, RFQ Chief Financial Officer.

What would you change about your job to make it work better for you and your workplace?More opportunities to use your st...
13/10/2026

What would you change about your job to make it work better for you and your workplace?

More opportunities to use your strengths? Stronger connections with colleagues? Clearer boundaries around your work?

These are examples of job crafting: actively shaping aspects of your work to better fit your strengths, interests and needs. That might mean adding more of what you value to your work, or simplifying parts of your role to protect your wellbeing.

But knowing what you’d like to change is only a start. How do you make it happen?

Associate Professor Gavin Slemp from the Centre for Wellbeing Science, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne has recently led a randomised controlled trial exploring whether coaching can help.

The study compared a standard job crafting intervention with an approach incorporating coaching to help participants work through obstacles and implement changes.

The research examines whether using job crafting as a framework for coaching can support employees’ wellbeing and intrinsic motivation: the interest and enjoyment they find in the work itself.

The project was supported by an IOC–ICF research grant through the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, with support from the International Coaching Federation, and co-funded by The Blueberry Institute.

Congratulations to Gavin and everyone who helped bring this project to fruition, including Fleur Heazlewood, Anna Glynn, Likitha Silapurem, Maria Tims, Kelsey Lewis and Lindsay G Oades.

We look forward to sharing the findings when they’re available.

What’s one aspect of your work you’d like to reshape?

13/10/2026

What if supporting early childhood educators’ wellbeing took more than teaching them self-care?

For Jo Maloney, that question became a reason to return to study.

An early childhood education consultant, author and founder of Conscious Positivity, Jo brings three decades of experience as a teacher, centre owner and TAFE educator to her work.

Across early learning settings, she saw increasing demands, emotional exhaustion and declining educator wellbeing.

“Many educators felt they simply had to get on with it.”

Jo offered self-care strategies to her TAFE students, but recognised they needed more. She wanted the knowledge to support change across early childhood workplaces.

She chose the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at the Centre for Wellbeing Science, within the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education, because it was where she saw research emerging and wanted to be part of it.

The degree connected her professional experience with a deeper understanding of wellbeing science, broadening her focus to the teams, leaders and organisations around individual educators.

Today, Jo puts that learning into practice through professional development on psychological safety, emotional intelligence and relationships, and her book, “Wellbeing Science in Early Childhood Education: How to Create Positive Change”.

One recent conversation stands out. After an early childhood service Jo had been supporting experienced a tragedy, someone from the organisation told her:

“I know this service will be able to handle this because of what they’ve learned with you.”

For Jo, those words were a reminder of the difference her work can make.

Jo also found something she continues to value beyond the degree: fellow students from different sectors, exchanging ideas and, as she says in the video, “really wanting to make a positive difference in the world”.

She now helps keep that exchange going as a committee member of the MAPP student and alumni association (MAPPsaa) and one of the organisers of its Summit, creating opportunities for students and graduates to stay connected and learn from one another.

Asked why she gives her time, Jo points to Chris Peterson’s words: “Other people matter.”

To mark the milestone of 500 graduates of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology, we’re sharing stories of our alumni making a difference. We’re proud to celebrate Jo’s contribution to early childhood education and her commitment to the educators who nurture our youngest learners.

Measuring and valuing what mattersWhat if governments are systematically undervaluing the things that make life worth li...
12/10/2026

Measuring and valuing what matters

What if governments are systematically undervaluing the things that make life worth living?

When governments evaluate investments in transport, urban planning and community infrastructure, they typically focus on measurable outcomes such as travel time savings, reduced crashes and, sometimes, life satisfaction. But are we capturing the full value of places that help people flourish?

"If we don't recognise the value of meaning, purpose and social connection, we're likely underestimating the true return that public investments create for people and communities."

— Professor Dianne Vella-Brodrick, Director, Centre for Wellbeing Science, Faculty of Education

In her latest Pursuit article, Professor Dianne Vella-Brodrick explores the implications of newly published collaborative, interdisciplinary research with Janet Stanley, Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne, and Professor John Stanley and Professor David A Hensher from the University of Sydney Business School.

The study is believed to be the first to develop an economic value for eudaimonic wellbeing, encompassing aspects of wellbeing such as meaning, purpose, personal growth and positive relationships.

By providing a practical way to recognise these benefits in economic evaluations, the research has the potential to broaden how governments assess investments in transport, urban planning and community infrastructure, ensuring the outcomes that help people and communities flourish are better reflected in public policy and decision-making.

Read the full Pursuit article, When a bike path is more than a bike path: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/when-a-bike-path-is-more-than-a-bike-path?in_c=topstoryblock_5

Could games people already love playing open up new possibilities for wellbeing? 🎮Video games offer worlds to explore, c...
12/10/2026

Could games people already love playing open up new possibilities for wellbeing? 🎮

Video games offer worlds to explore, challenges to navigate and opportunities to connect. What might become possible if wellbeing researchers and game developers worked together?

Centre for Wellbeing Science researchers Dan Loton and Nikki Rickard, together with Matthew Harrison and Jess Rowlings from the Faculty of Education and Tom Byers from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, explore this question in their study, Playable Wellbeing.

The study explores whether experiences designed to support specific health and wellbeing goals could be incorporated into mainstream entertainment games, while preserving player engagement and developers’ creative freedom.

Developers bring the stories, worlds and gameplay that engage players. Wellbeing researchers bring expertise in what supports wellbeing and how to assess its impact. What could they create together?

We’d love to hear from people working in games and wellbeing: where do you see possibilities for collaboration?

🔗 Curious about how this could work? Read the preprint for a roadmap informed by game studio leaders and wellbeing organisations: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-9923465/v1

👾 Were you just in Melbourne for PAX during Melbourne International Games Week? Let us know in the comments!

🎨 Illustration: Next Mars Media/Shutterstock

Getting into university is one thing. Finding a place to live, and people you feel at home with, is another.For students...
07/10/2026

Getting into university is one thing. Finding a place to live, and people you feel at home with, is another.

For students relocating from regional, rural and remote communities, university can mean navigating a new city, newfound independence and life away from familiar support networks.

Where they live can make a real difference.

In a new Future Campus article, Centre for Wellbeing Science researchers Jacqui Francis and Kelsey Lewis join Bec Sullivan from the University of Melbourne’s Strategic Operational Planning team to explore how student housing could better support belonging and university success.

Drawing on interviews with 19 undergraduate students, Jacqui and Kelsey’s research highlights how living spaces can help students build friendships, find support and feel part of a community. But living alongside other students does not automatically create belonging.

Friendship groups can form quickly, leaving some students struggling to find their place. Others feel out of step with the social culture around them.

Alongside affordability, location and safety, the authors make a case for housing that meets diverse student needs and creates opportunities for meaningful connection.

Housing and belonging are often considered separately. Bringing them together could help more students make the move to university, find their feet and stay the course.

How could we make belonging part of the way we plan student housing?

🖼️ Illustration: Future Campus (AI-generated)

🔗 Read the full article in Future Campus: https://futurecampus.com.au/2026/10/01/social-connection-and-housing-key-factors-influencing-regional-university-student-participation-and-success/

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