Khalifa University’s Youth Well-Being program connects undergraduate students in the United Arab Emirates and the United States. It explores American and UAE lifestyles, the multidimensional components of well-being, and how institutions — such as the economy, families, and communities — affect the global challenge of improving well-being. Students develop interpersonal competencies through small-group discussions and periodic synchronous sessions with peers. By participating in group research projects and conference presentations, students gain valuable research experience, collaboration skills, and communication skills.

Activities

There are two phases in the program. In phase one, all activities follow an eight-module curriculum examining youth well-being. Each module includes virtual lectures and discussions. Asynchronous activities consist of video lectures and group work tasks. Synchronous activities are conducted via Zoom or Teams. In phase two, a smaller group of participants work with their research teams to formulate and answer a research question. The project work is organized through Zoom or Teams, and students utilize freely available online platforms such as Google Drive and Google Docs to share resources and drafts. Participants also engage in synchronous sessions, meeting with their faculty and working on the group research project with other team members in real time, allowing for immediate feedback and collaboration. Upon completing their research projects, students are invited to showcase their work at an international virtual conference.

Program Details