How the design of a university campus contributes to student wellbeing

The right spaces can encourage connection, creativity, and curiosity in students

Student well-being has become one of the most talked-about issues in higher education. Rising levels of anxiety, loneliness, and digital dependence have prompted universities around the world to rethink not just how they support students, but also the environments in which students live and learn. While institutions are investing in counselling services, peer support networks, and wellness programmes that address real pressures that students face, an important question often goes unasked: what role does the campus environment itself play in shaping how students feel, connect, and grow?

Research in higher education has consistently shown that a strong sense of belonging is closely associated with students’ academic success, persistence, and psychological well-being. Belonging is shaped not only by programmes and policies, but also by the environments in which students learn every day. Well-being should not be an intervention layered onto campus life but embedded into its design. Interventions such as counselling and other support services often respond to problems after they emerge. Designing campuses that foster connection, curiosity, creativity, and belonging offers an opportunity to prevent many of these challenges before they take root.

Author: Prof. Amit Kundal, Dean - Faculty of Design, Art and Performance