Happy Power Newsletter – Issue 7
Three years of Happy Power: celebrating our journey together
On 29 September 2026, the Happy Power community came together at the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) for the Final International Conference: “Building Healthier Universities through Positive Psychology”
More than 60 people joined the conference, both in person and online, including university teachers, students, researchers and people interested in wellbeing and Positive Psychology in Higher Education.
The conference was a very special moment for the five partner universities after three years of European cooperation. It gave us the opportunity to share what we have achieved, what we have learned from students and teachers, and how Happy Power can continue contributing to healthier universities.
From design to impact
During the project, Happy Power has grown into a European community involving more than 80 university teachers and over 5,000 students.
The project has combined classroom activities with individual activities through a web app, helping students apply Positive Psychology concepts to their everyday experiences and develop self-awareness, constructive thinking and personal resources related to wellbeing.
During the conference, Marco Boffi from the University of Milan presented the preliminary results of the two pilot waves carried out across the five partner universities.
The combined evaluation included 897 students with both initial and final assessments: 609 in the experimental group and 288 in the control group. The preliminary findings show, among other results, a significant improvement in psychological quality of life in the experimental group.
Students’ and teachers’ voices
Students and teachers have been at the centre of Happy Power.
During the conference, partners from Artevelde University of Applied Sciences, OAMK and the University of Bacău shared the experiences and lessons collected during the project. Their feedback has helped us improve the activities, make reflection exercises more student-centred, include more practical examples and improve the clarity of the materials.
Looking to the future
The conference ended with the keynote “The Future of Positive Psychology in Higher Education”, by David Gallardo-Pujol, Professor at the University of Barcelona.
His presentation invited us to think about an important question: what works, for whom, when and under which conditions? His contribution highlighted the importance of considering the person, the situation and the context when designing wellbeing interventions in Higher Education.
Happy Power continues!
The European project is reaching its final stage, but the Happy Power journey does not end here.
The project leaves behind training materials, resources for teachers and students, digital tools and a European community committed to promoting wellbeing in Higher Education.
All the Happy Power training materials are now available online and can continue to be used by teachers, students and universities.
Thank you to all our partners, teachers, students, Advisory Board members and everyone who has been part of this three-year journey. Together, we are building healthier universities through Positive Psychology!
