The LearningWell Coalition is pleased to announce that the Aalborg Centre for Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability under the auspices of UNESCO has joined the Coalition as an affiliate member. This centre brings a globally recognized model of education that integrates student wellbeing, identity development, and real-world learning at the core of the academic experience.

The Centre for Problem-Based Learning’s approach is anchored in its distinctive model in which students work collaboratively on real-world challenges, take ownership of their learning, and develop solutions with societal relevance. This model not only drives academic excellence, but also supports key dimensions of student flourishing, including a sense of belonging, agency, purpose, and professional identity.

The Centre’s membership in the LearningWell Coalition is further strengthened by its 2023–2028 research initiative on academic well-being, which contributes to Aalborg University’s broader Mission on Improved Well-being Among Children and Youth. This research-driven initiative advances a systemic, preventive approach to student wellbeing by integrating curriculum design, faculty development, and institutional leadership with rigorous longitudinal assessment.

“At the Aalborg PBL Centre (UCPBL), we see student flourishing and well-being as integral to educational quality, institutional responsibility, and Aalborg University’s broader mission-oriented work,” said Xiangyun Du, Professor and Director of UCPBL. “We regard psychological, social, and academic well-being as inseparable from educational quality and societal responsibility. Our systemic Problem- and Project-Based Learning model supports not only academic excellence, but also students’ identity development, sense of belonging, agency, and preparedness for meaningful professional engagement.”

Within this broader mission context, the Centre’s 2023–2028 academic well-being initiative focuses particularly on two critical transitions in students’ lives: the transition from school to university and from university to work. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, the initiative examines how learning environments can intentionally foster psychological safety, self-efficacy, persistence, and long-term purpose. Findings are continuously fed back into curriculum design, supervision practices, and institutional strategy to embed wellbeing structurally across the university.

“The Aalborg Centre for Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability under the auspices of UNESCO exemplifies what it means to embed wellbeing into the fabric of higher education,” said Keith Buffinton, Executive Director of the LearningWell Coalition. “Their problem-based model demonstrates that when students are actively engaged in meaningful, collaborative work, they not only learn more deeply but also develop the skills, relationships, and sense of purpose that support lifelong flourishing.”

The Centre’s work extends beyond its campus through its UNESCO network and global partnerships across Europe, Africa, and Asia, contributing research-informed models and tools to advance wellbeing in higher education worldwide. By joining the LearningWell Coalition, the Centre will both contribute to and benefit from a growing international community of institutions committed to transforming higher education to better support student wellbeing and long-term success.

“Membership in the LearningWell Coalition aligns closely with AAU’s strategic vision,” Du added. “We view participation as both an opportunity for global exchange and a responsibility to contribute research-informed models that advance lifelong student flourishing.”

 

About the LearningWell Coalition

The LearningWell Coalition is a national network of colleges and universities committed to transforming higher education so every student is prepared to flourish in work and in life. Through research, collaboration and the sharing of best practices, the Coalition advances approaches that foster lifelong wellbeing, purpose, and engagement.