A ‘PERMA’ Response to the Pandemic: An Online Positive Education Programme to Promote Wellbeing in University Students

Pre-existing issues regarding the wellbeing and mental health of university students have subsequently been compounded by global COVID-19 pandemic. Research signals that anxiety depression symptomology has increased in students’ following outbreak, declined. In response to concerns around Higher Education (HE), support transition remote working during pandemic, we designed implemented an 8-week program based on positive education frameworks practices. The online was delivered a West Midlands-based United Kingdom, undergraduate postgraduate psychology students. weekly sessions [ran through virtual learning environment (VLE)] aimed 1) provide with community opportunity feel connected other students, 2) introduce key concepts wellbeing, 3) equip knowledge resources would help sustain/improve their wellbeing. this paper outline how education, specifically “PERMA” framework, inspired development (including accompanying VLE webpages sources support) future plans for evaluation. We further describe content delivery alongside practical implications, lessons learned important constraints. situate discussion consideration ongoing requirements pandemic wider integration PERMA approaches contexts.