Contributions of Buen Vivir to Institutional Well-Being Policy in Higher Education in Colombia

Abstract

Objective: To contribute to the current policy guidelines for Well-being in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Colombia, drawing inspiration from the worldview of Buen Vivir (Good Living). Methods: A qualitative approach was employed through in-depth document review and focus groups with students, faculty, and administrative staff from various HEIs. Analysis matrices were designed to process the collected information. Results: Tensions were identified in the current model of Institutional Well-being, which responds to capitalist and Eurocentric logics that prioritize efficiency and coverage over genuine well-being. Areas of territorial and human interconnection were systematized, integrating ancestral knowledge and harmonious relationships with non-human communities. Conclusions: It is necessary to move from a welfare-based and homogenizing model of well-being to a pluriverse and intercultural one. Buen Vivir allows us to rethink well-being as a state of equilibrium and shared happiness, involving not only the academic community but also its natural and social environment.