Being part of a positive community is essential for a sense of commitment, connection and belonging – a basic psychological need that requires learning, motivation and well-being. At Arts, we therefore focus on strengthening student well-being by supporting a good study environment and positive, student-driven communities.
Arts has a wide range of clubs and societies, with more than 115 voluntary student societies. These clubs and societies include everything from degree programme committees, student magazines and lecture societies to Friday bars, social clubs and student revues. In addition, there are many informal communities in the form of study groups, book clubs and similar, and these are also part of student life. This gives students ample opportunities to participate in communities at Arts. All these communities play an essential role in ensuring a vibrant academic and social study environment.
At the Faculty of Arts, well-being as a collaboration between students, academic environments and the studies administration, all of whom are responsible for ensuring that students thrive both individually and collectively. While teaching staff, student counsellors and other staff have a responsibility to support and catch students if they fall, as well as give students the best possible framework to unfold, students themselves have a responsibility to be outreaching, participate and co-create.
The Faculty of Arts always provides the physical framework for student activities and communities. Whether it is a meeting with the study group, a Friday bar or a student-organised event, we make premises, study areas, canteens and common areas across our five campuses available. The well-being coordinator and Arts Building Services can also provide help and advice to students who propose ideas for activities or events.
At Arts, we are all expected to treat each other as equals and with mutual respect. We do not tolerate inappropriate or abusive behaviour of any kind – be it physical, verbal, non-verbal or digital. The Student Counsellors' Office provides support and guidance to students, and sessions with students who have experienced abusive or inappropriate behaviour.
The well-being coordinator at the Faculty of Arts runs a collectively focused initiative that supplements the other well-being and counselling services aimed at the individual student. The well-being coordinator works closely with the students and the faculty to develop the study environment at Arts, for instance by acting as contact person for student societies and supporting their work through networks and workshops.
In connection with reopening after the Covid lockdown in 2021, the well-being coordinator organised the “societies’ day” concept; a pilot project that was rolled out at Kasernen campus and named “Kasernen Festival”. The festival was organised in collaboration with Kasernen's societies and academic environment. The purpose of the one-day festival was to kick-start the study environment at Kasernen after the lockdown, to (re)introduce students to all the communities and services at the Kasernen campus, and to support recruitment by the societies. The programme consisted of stands, experience spaces and performances on various stages, and the content was delivered by students from the Kasernen campus. The festival was attended by approx. 400 students and was a great success. The Kasernen Festival has now become a student-run society, and the one-day festival was held again in 2022 – and hopefully every year going forward.
During and after the Covid lockdowns, several departments at the Faculty of Arts chose to appoint local well-being ambassadors – typically students – responsible for launching initiatives to promote well-being locally. For example:
