The Oxford Handbook of Well-Being in Higher Education

Well-being has become one of the defining challenges and opportunities of higher education in the twenty-first century. Alongside the traditional pursuit of academic excellence, colleges and universities must now address unprecedented levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and burnout among students, staff, and faculty. In The Oxford Handbook of Well-Being in Higher Education, Louis Tay and Beth M. McCuskey bring together leading researchers, educators, and practitioners to provide the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary resource on the multifaceted nature of well-being across different populations and contexts. The volume examines mental health trends, digital and social challenges, sense of belonging across diverse backgrounds, faculty and staff well-being, and the role of institutional culture and policy. The Handbook also highlights evidence-based interventions, innovative programs, and global perspectives, offering both theoretical depth and practical guidance. Organized around key themes-from foundational concepts and empirical trends to interventions, policies, and inclusive approaches-this volume integrates rigorous research with lived expertise from higher education leaders worldwide to address well-being at individual, relational, community, institutional, and societal levels.Essential for scholars, educators, administrators, student affairs professionals, policymakers, and anyone committed to higher education's transformative mission, this Handbook charts a path toward creating institutions that not only pursue knowledge but also cultivate thriving communities.