Studies show that individuals can actively influence their own health and well-being. Numerous interventions and techniques, often with the use of technology, have been developed to help people improve their well-being and health. In this course you will learn about the different approaches, methods, and interventions that are used to improve happiness and well-being.
In this summer course, we will address a couple of questions:
- What makes people happy?
- Which methods can be used to study health and happiness?
- Which interventions can be used to enhance well-being, happiness and health?
- What role can design and technology play to support health and well-being?
Inspired by a combination of insights from positive and health psychology, and design and technology this course will help you address these questions. You will work on several projects related to well-being and health, with the ultimate goal to boost health, both physically and mentally. Together with students from the Design the future track you will work on a project and design your own intervention to enhance well-being. You will also try out different interventions and trainings yourself to get a first-hand experience of their effect.
Testimonial: Deirdre (from Ireland)
Course topics
Together with other participants you will discover and learn more about these topics:
Learning outcomes
Participants will...
- learn and understand important psychological concepts and principles.
- learn about the foundational principles of positive psychology, and how positive psychological perspectives are combined with health psychology and technology to improve happiness and well-being.
- gain knowledge about positive education, learn to identify individual character strengths and implications for improving learning.
- learn about the underlying theories of mindfulness and practice techniques that can be applied in everyday situations.
- learn about the state-of-the-art methodologies to change behavior, and measure and track health and well-being.
- apply newly gained knowledge in creating behavioural change interventions to improve health and happiness in various settings (workplace, schools, healthcare).
Course aims
- Knowing how to improve health and well-being in several areas
- Designing technological interventions to improve health and well-being
- Applying knowledge from health psychology, positive psychology, communication sciences, and eHealth to improve health and well-being
Course details
- Date: 2 - 15 August, 2021
- Format: Blended, first week online (2 - 8 August) and second week on-campus (9 - 15 August)
- Methods: Lectures from experts of the field, interactive workshops, project work
- Course level: Beginner's/Intermediate/Advanced
- Target group: Everyone with an interest in technological interventions with a human touch to improve health and well-being.
- Required knowledge: There are no entry requirements for this course but an interest in psychology and converting theory into practice is desired.
- Credits: 2 ECTS for successfully completing the summer school
Course leaders
Festival schedule
Stay tuned! The complete updated course schedule will follow soon. You can download the below pdf to already have a look at the course topics:
In the meantime, check out the below schedule of our previous edition to get a preview.
Want to know more?
If you need to know more, we have information available about the fee & programme, an admission check, registration & payment, visa, accomodation and the terms & conditions.