**3. Conclusion**

Our study was small in size and limited in its generalizability as it only included private universities in the UAE. Further, response bias was possible as only students who were interested in responding did so. Focus groups may have helped generate deeper insights, as well as the inclusion of older students benefiting from the passage of time. Still, our study offered insight into what non-Western students feel matters, a vital contribution to knowledge around wellbeing across both institutional and cultural contexts, where scientific inquiry continues to evolve [3, 41, 43].

Overwhelmingly, what students construe as vital to their wellbeing is not what universities typically offer [e.g., 18, 48, 52]. Beyond learning, they want connection, as well as to be seen, heard, and inspired. They want to feel as though they are doing something worthwhile with their days and enjoy themselves. They want to worry less and be helped when they do. Most of all, they did not want to flounder on their

*Thanks for Asking! How UAE-Based University Students Conceptualize Happiness and How… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107363*

own and feel unheard and ignored. More critically, they wanted universities to help orchestrate their psychosocial needs. This last finding supports developments in positive psychology reinforcing the need for systemic changes over singular, individuallevel interventions [41, 45] and is also the foundation of positive universities [26]. Yet, that universities have a role to play in student wellbeing and that students are cognizant of that role has been difficult for institutions to grasp as many remain fixated on a purely commercial lens, or on how they feel education has been and thus, should be. Others are satisfied separating learning from existing, without realizing that these needs are one and the same. In fact, these emotional needs are also those not being met in faculty, other employees, as well as managers, senior leaders and CEO's [94] more generally.

Student wellbeing has positive outcomes that can avert mental health concerns [4**–**8]. However, ensuring that wellbeing needs are met can also promote social, learning, economic and employment outcomes critical not only to students and institutions, but for the nations in which these operate (e.g., [9**–**13, 16]). For institutions wishing to position themselves as first-choice institutions, especially relevant in contexts like the UAE where students have many local as well as international study options, attending to wellbeing as an institutional driver can maximize institutional competitiveness, fuel student and faculty recruitment, leverage academic performance and strengthen organizational outcomes, including profits, on which many depend [27**–**29]. Accordingly, institutions must heed the OECD's [91] advice to include wellbeing as a legitimate performance indicator and position it as a serious endeavor. In this manner, students primarily benefit, but institutions and their respective stakeholders, as well as the nations in which these operate, can as well.

### **Acknowledgements**

We wish to thank all of the students who chose to use their voice and share their experiences of what matters to them most.

## **Conflict of interest**

The authors declare no conflict of interest.
