Health and Well-Being in Architectural Education: Evidence from a Global Survey I

Abstract

This study presents the first systematic global analysis of health and well-being integration in architectural education, examining 345 schools across 159 countries as part of the UIA Education Commission's comprehensive survey. Employing thematic keyword analysis and content analysis, the research quantifies integration prevalence, identifies structural pathways, and reveals regional variations in pedagogical approaches. Findings demonstrate that 90 schools (26.1%) explicitly integrate health and well-being into curricula, research programs, or institutional missions, a critical threshold indicating movement from isolated innovation to emerging norm. Integration occurs through five distinct pathways: dedicated programs and specialisations (69 schools, most prevalent), research focus areas and centres (25 schools), design studio themes and projects (20 schools), cross-disciplinary collaborations (19 schools), and specific courses and modules (8 schools, least common). Regional analysis reveals striking disparities. Western Europe and Central/Eastern Europe lead with 33.3% integration rates, followed by the Americas and Asia/Oceania at 22.2%. Africa significantly lags at 16.7% with critical infrastructure gaps. Five overarching trends emerge: health transitioning from add-on to core imperative, data-driven evidence-based design methodologies, deepening interdisciplinarity through public health partnerships, contextual and climatic responsiveness, and community-centred engagement positioning students as public health interventionists. The study documents architectural education's evolution toward positioning all architects as public health agents. Yet 74% of schools show no explicit integration, indicating incomplete transformation. Findings provide evidence-based foundations for curriculum reform, accreditation standards, knowledge-sharing networks, and targeted capacity building to advance health-integrated architectural education globally, positioning health as an integrative lens connecting sustainability, equity, technology, and practice.