Saint Paul University will be the subject of a transformative new research project that seeks to create an innovative and more integral education environment.
Over the course of two years, members of the University community will be active participants in a study that will emphasize personal well-being, resilience and connection as part of the post-secondary education experience.
Principal Investigator, Dr. Bianca Briciu, Assistant Professor in the School of Leadership, Ecology and Equity, and her collaborators, have been awarded more than $100,000 as part of the New Frontiers in Research grant to conduct this project.
“We believe that higher education has the potential to contribute to the liberation of the human spirit,” explains Dr. Briciu. “Just as we are faced with growing global issues – including ongoing conflict, climate change, and rising mental health issues – we are also challenged to create a new vision of education that prioritizes meaning, connection and care. In this way, we can use education strategies that promote integral development, social justice and positive change for all.”
About the Research
The research will be conducted in three phases that will engage a unique segment of the University’s population – students, faculty and administrative staff, respectively – as part of communities of practice. The first phase, which involves 17 students, started in September and will end in December.
Each phase runs for three months, during which participants will engage in a series of six practices for integral development using approaches from 4 disciplines: education, psychology, sociology and spirituality.
“Through this study we hope to have a better understanding of transformative pedagogies that strengthen resilience, support access to one’s authentic, spiritual core, and build inner capacities to connect deeply with others, in a way that contributes to collective flourishing,” shared Dr. Briciu.
Participants will be assessed before and after the three-month period through the Well-Being Assessment survey, developed by Havard University’s Human Flourishing Program. Follow-up interviews and focus groups with participants will also be conducted to assess the impact of the process.
About the Grant
The New Frontiers in Research Fund – Exploration — an initiative of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee —supports Canadian-led interdisciplinary research projects that are high-risk and high-reward. It invests in research that transcends disciplinary boundaries, creating new fields of inquiry and approaches.
For more information, please contact:
Julie Bourassa
Communications Officer, Saint Paul University
613-236-1393, ext. 2310
communications@ustpaul.ca
