Abstract:

Students entering university can easily feel stressed because of an array of social, cognitive, emotional and financial challenges, and the struggles continue as they leave the university to pursue further studies or enter the workforce. In times of unpredictability and uncertainty, higher education institutions have started to re-examine, rethink and reprioritise their resources to promote student readiness and well-being that help them embrace change and manage the ever-evolving world more than ever. The present project seeks to 1) strengthen students' employability so that they can become better prepared for school-university-work transitions and beyond, and 2) contribute to the growing attention paid to the scholarship of teaching and learning through improving student learning and support and evaluating educational practices. Two distinct but related studies were conducted which involved the implementation of a psychological intervention for students of HKMU LiPACE. In Study One, students attended a compulsory course which promoted personal growth and adaptability in classroom settings. Led by trained professionals, Study Two involved a pilot intervention programme funded by the Quality Enhancement Measures (QEM) that facilitated positive adaptation to career-related changes and life's developmental challenges. Quantitative and qualitative results were integrated for analysis and interpretation to generate confirmed, discordant, or expanded findings. By empowering students to recognise and exercise inner resources and develop adaptation resources and readiness during this critical life stage, greater ownership and responsibility in personal and professional development can be nurtured to achieve more meaningful levels of learning. This project has implications for contemporary student learning and support in higher education.