The UCL Grand Challenge of Human Wellbeing (GCHW)

Consideration of how to secure the wellbeing of humanity for the future presents a major challenge for society. For humans to flourish fully, it is not sufficient simply to live: we must live well. UCL GCHW seeks to consider both the nature of being human and the nature of wellbeing. It will harness UCL’s research expertise from across our academic community to provide new, multifaceted, multidisciplinary considerations of human wellbeing.

In recent years, wellbeing has been an increasing focus of both academic research and of consideration by government and policymakers. Recognition that increased wealth has not resulted in increased quality of life and that wellbeing cannot be measured through measuring economic wealth alone, has led to a re-thinking of what constitutes wellbeing. This occurs in a context of global inequity, with a substantial proportion of the world’s population still living in poverty.

We still understand little of what constitutes wellbeing and how to achieve it. UCL GCHW aims to provide insights into different concepts of wellbeing and how it can best be achieved for individuals and different groups in society. It is also exploring ways of measuring wellbeing and the actions that government can take to achieve grater wellbeing for the population as a whole.