Framework for Student Wellbeing-Centered Built Environment Education

Recent studies claim that Built Environment (BE) undergraduate students who work in the construction industry while studying endure chronic burnout and stress owing to balancing the demands of their work and studies. This affects their academic performance and overall physical and mental well-being. These, in turn, adversely affect student retention rates in BE programs. While previous studies demonstrated the poor mental well-being of BE undergraduate students, they did not explore in detail stressors and the relationships between mental stressors and academic performance and well-being of the students. This research explores different stressors encountered by BE undergraduate students in Australian universities and the impact of those stressors on their academic performance and well-being. An online questionnaire survey was conducted with students enrolled in BE programs at the authors’ universities. The data was analysed statistically to draw findings. It was found that balancing work and studies was significantly associated with the intention to quit or defer studies and academic performance. Six academic stressors are significantly associated with these adverse impacts, which are self-expectations of high performance, anxious of underperforming in studies, high academic demands, worried/anxious about tests/exams and problems when doing group assignments, and inadequate time for academic work due to work or social activities. Similarly, five work stressors are significantly associated with these adverse impacts, including difficulties in balancing study and work demands, study interference with paid work, high time pressure at work, excessive workload and doubts about finding a job after graduation. Drawing from the findings, a new well-being centred BE education framework is proposed. The framework can potentially improve the learning experiences in the Australian Built Environment discipline. It will not only foster the holistic development and success of students but also pave the way for a more supportive and nurturing academic landscape.