IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

Higher Education programme design aims to empower students with creative competencies aligned to their discipline. Coupled with this is a heightened awareness that students face challenges engaging with their studies, negatively impacting their wellbeing and academic performance. Given that creativity, resilience and mindfulness can promote wellbeing in university students, a pedagogical approach that integrates these four elements, has the potential to foster a positive learning environment to sustain engagement, supporting students on their learning journey. Mindful pedagogy is one such approach, applying mindfulness formally or informally to class activities. Using a mindful culinary education module focused on health and wellbeing, this study provides empirical insights into its pedagogical effectiveness in promoting student creativity and self-care. Semi-structured interviews (n=17) of those who completed the module between 2019 and 2025, were analysed. Findings reveal that for some, college-related stress was overwhelming, creating anxiety, distraction and lack of confidence in their abilities. The calmness of the mindful classroom gave them a space to relax, connect with themselves and the applied mindful activities. Fears, doubts, and low self-esteem were transformed through the positive emotions created. The mindful approach to creative challenges resulted in a gradual development of creative confidence, which was positively aligned to a sense of wellbeing. Students used the module’s mindful toolkit of self-care practices to manage stress and negative emotions across subjects, professional practice and daily life. This mindful pedagogical approach grounded in self-care and wellbeing, offers a design template for promoting creative competency and resilience in higher education.