ISQOLS upcoming events

ISQOLS WISER Summer School (5 Sep 2026)

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS)and Wellbeing In Sustainable Economies Revised (WISER) invite applications for the First ISQOLS–WISER Summer School, to be held at the University of Siena, Italy, from Saturday 5 September to Wednesday 9 September 2026, immediately before the WISER Conference, held from 9 to 11 September 2026 in Siena.

ISQOLS Webinar, "Can Advancing Conceptual Clarity in Positive Mental Health Achieve Consensus While Preserving Inclusivity and Innovation?" (10 Sep 2026)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

ISQOLS Webinar, "Can Advancing Conceptual Clarity in Positive Mental Health Achieve Consensus While Preserving Inclusivity and Innovation?"

Presenter: Dr. Matthew lasiello

Thursday, 10 September

10:00am EDT/16:00 CET

Event Information

There is growing recognition of positive mental health as an intrinsic asset and protective factor for physical and mental health outcomes. Yet the field grapples with a multiplicity of overlapping terms (e.g., mental wellbeing, flourishing, thriving) and inconsistent conceptualizations across disciplines. This multiplicity produces fragmented efforts in measurement, intervention design, policy, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, undermining data synthesis and recommendations for practice.

A recent Delphi consensus study addressed this need by engaging 122 international experts from 11 disciplines across three iterative rounds to develop a preliminary taxonomy. Consensus (≥75% agreement) was reached on 19 dimensions, with exceptional (>90%) agreement on six: Meaning and Purpose, Life Satisfaction, Self-Acceptance, Connection, Autonomy, and Happiness. Greater consistency offers a shared language for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers; enables better comparability of measures and interventions; facilitates cumulative science through improved replicability and data synthesis; and supports more precise targeting of dimensions to promote positive mental health and prevent illness.

At present, wellbeing interventions vary widely in their components, with no clear consensus on what should be included. This makes it difficult to determine which program elements influence specific dimensions. Greater consistency and specificity in conceptualizing these dimensions would help clarify causal links between intervention components and targeted outcomes, reducing current uncertainty.

Tensions remain, however, between standardization and cultural or local adaptation. The study highlighted Western bias in existing models and experts called for non-Western perspectives, inclusion of marginalized lived experiences, and recognition of contextual variability. Over-emphasizing universality risks stifling culturally specific expressions of wellbeing, imposing WEIRD-centric frameworks, and reducing sensitivity to sociocultural differences in values, expressions, and priorities across the lifespan.

This presentation poses key questions for the field: How can we foster conceptual consistency without compromising inclusivity or innovation? What explicit criteria should guide further taxonomy refinement? Key takeaways include embracing iterative consensus methods for alignment, prioritizing multidisciplinary and cross-cultural discourse, and balancing shared foundations with flexible, context-sensitive adaptations to strengthen global relevance and impact in promoting human flourishing.

ISQOLS Webinar, "Inclusive and Sustainable Well-being for Overcoming Inequalities in Higher Education in the Global South: the role of social relations" (23 Sep 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

ISQOLS Webinar, "Inclusive and Sustainable Well-being for Overcoming Inequalities in Higher Education in the Global South: the role of social relations"

Presenter: Graciela Haydee Tonon

Wednesday, 23 September

10:00am EDT/16:00 CET

Event Information

This webinar addresses inequality in higher education in the Global South by analysing the everyday experiences of university students—particularly their social relationships—and highlights the need to achieve inclusive and sustainable well-being to overcome inequalities in this sphere. It begins by acknowledging that the role of universities in the Global South has been reconfigured in recent decades alongside social transformations; universities have expanded their institutional function—moving beyond the production of academic and scientific knowledge—to become significant social and political spaces in students' lives. Today, the university emerges as a key social institution where students forge social and emotional bonds, build friendships, and connect with others through social support networks. In other words, they do not merely study, learn, and prepare for future careers; they also learn to assert their needs and rights. In the twenty-first century, higher education must be viewed as a key factor for personal quality of life and that of society as a whole; in the Global South, access to university enhances individuals' quality of life and their sense of well-being in terms of life satisfaction. We thus recognize that inclusion is a process incorporating the concept of human diversity to strengthen the individual's capacity to improve their own well-being, emphasizing the importance of participation, representation, and a sense of belonging. Furthermore, in line with SDG 4, we acknowledge the need to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education that promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all, with the aim of mitigating the reproduction of inequalities.