Tertiary Student Wellbeing: Supporting Engagement, Retention and Student Success
When students disengage, struggle to settle into study or leave before completing their qualifications, the causes are rarely simple. Effective student support begins with understanding the conditions influencing their experiences.
FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute applies its research-informed Universal Wellbeing approach to help tertiary education providers examine underlying determinants of wellbeing and develop more coordinated, sustainable support systems. Our focus is primordial prevention: addressing contributing conditions before difficulties become entrenched.
Student wellbeing is connected to the whole learning environment
Student services, teaching teams and institutional leaders are often responding to complex, overlapping pressures. A coordinated approach considers not just the immediate concern, but the wider conditions shaping participation, belonging and achievement.
Student disengagement
Low participation, missed classes and reduced connection to learning can signal barriers that need to be understood.
Retention and completion
Early withdrawal and interrupted study pathways can reflect a combination of personal, social and institutional factors.
Pastoral care pressures
Support teams need clear processes and joined-up systems to respond consistently to diverse student needs.
Transition and belonging
First-year, international and returning learners may face different challenges when entering unfamiliar environments.
Inclusion and accessibility
Learning environments need to consider the experiences of students with different backgrounds and support requirements.
Staff and educator pressures
Student outcomes are connected to the capability, coordination and working conditions of the people supporting them.
Go beyond responding to problems as they arise
Many student wellbeing initiatives focus on individual concerns after they emerge. FWI's Universal Wellbeing approach looks more broadly at the determinants influencing students' experiences and the systems surrounding them.
Drawing on over 17 years of applied research, the Universal Wellbeing Model considers six dimensions and 70 determinants. This provides a research-informed basis for understanding needs, identifying priorities and planning coordinated responses.
Our point of difference: a whole-setting, primordial prevention perspective that connects student wellbeing, institutional systems, professional capability and evaluation.
Enquire About a Tertiary Wellbeing SystemHow a tertiary Universal Wellbeing system can be developed
The appropriate scope depends on the institution, its students and its existing services. The following stages describe a possible consultation and implementation pathway, not a fixed package.
Understand the setting
Explore student experiences, existing pastoral care arrangements and institutional priorities.
Identify determinants
Use the Universal Wellbeing framework to examine factors influencing participation, belonging and support.
Develop capability
Consider appropriate staff learning, coordination roles and practical processes for the setting.
Review and improve
Identify ways to evaluate progress and refine the approach as institutional needs change.
Supporting a wide range of tertiary education providers
Universal Wellbeing offers a framework for considering student and staff experiences across different education and training environments.
We welcome enquiries from institutional leaders, student experience teams, pastoral care coordinators, educators and organisations reviewing their student support systems.
From wellbeing understanding to institutional action
Depending on the provider's needs and the scope agreed with FWI, a conversation may explore Universal Wellbeing orientation, organisational consultation, evaluation approaches, professional learning and coordinated wellbeing systems.
Why primordial prevention matters: Rather than treating disengagement, poor attendance or support pressures as isolated problems, a primordial prevention approach seeks to understand and address the underlying conditions contributing to them.
Tertiary student wellbeing: frequently asked questions
What is a tertiary student wellbeing system?
A tertiary student wellbeing system is a coordinated approach to understanding and supporting the factors influencing student participation, belonging, learning and support. FWI's approach draws on the Universal Wellbeing Model and primordial prevention.
How can universities and tertiary providers improve student engagement and retention?
Engagement and retention can be influenced by academic, social, environmental and organisational conditions. A useful starting point is to examine those factors, listen to students and staff, review existing support arrangements and identify priorities for coordinated action.
Can this approach support international students and students transitioning into tertiary study?
Yes, their experiences can be considered within a wider Universal Wellbeing assessment of belonging, access, support and the learning environment. The appropriate response depends on the institution and its students.
Does FWI replace counselling, disability support or existing pastoral care services?
No. The proposed approach is concerned with understanding wellbeing determinants and strengthening coordinated institutional systems. It is not a substitute for clinical care, specialist support or an institution's statutory responsibilities.
How can our institution enquire about Universal Wellbeing support?
Email contactus@fwi.ac.nz with your institution's context, key challenges and the type of support you would like to explore. FWI can discuss whether its research-informed approach is suitable for your needs.
Better student outcomes begin with understanding what shapes them
Whether your institution is reviewing student engagement, retention, pastoral care or the wider learning environment, contact FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute to explore how a Universal Wellbeing approach may support your priorities.