DCU commences FLOURISH micro-credential for second year students

The FLOURISH module - an optional module aimed solely at Year 2 students in DCU - will be available on Loop, with students gaining digital certification following its completion.

FLOURISH - which has been developed by the SFI Insight Centre at DCU with industry support - will also encourage participating students to record some of their own activities such as nutrition and sleep and to use their own data to learn about themselves.

Year 2 students have until Monday, September 13th, to register for the module here. Students will NOT be able to register for this course in the Online Registration Portal.

The resulting data studied by Insight will lead to personalised feedback for students on aspects of their lives where they might want to make changes. This process has been approved by the university¡¯s Data Protection Office, and participating students do not have to record this segment should they choose not to do so. 

FLOURISH will contain 10 modules looking at sleep, nutrition, work habits, procrastination, relationships, physical activity, positive psychology, critical thinking and others. 

President of DCU, Professor Daire Keogh said, ¡°The development of FLOURISH reflects DCU¡¯s ¡®People First¡¯ values, and our focus on supporting students¡¯ wellness and personal development, alongside academic excellence. By offering them a structured way to manage their own physical and mental wellbeing, the module will help students to learn more about themselves and establish healthy habits for life. This can only benefit their overall university experience.¡±

Professor Alan Smeaton, Founding Director of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics,  is heading up the implementation of the new module

¡°The FLOURISH module is all about student wellbeing and wellness and using your own data to learn about yourself.  We¡¯re delighted to be able to offer this to students and to bring together some of the extensive expertise spread right across the University, into the one place so students can benefit,¡¯ says Prof Smeaton 

DCU Students Union President Terence Rooney said FLOURISH is a good resource for students, reminding them registration for the course stays open throughout the semester.

¡°The FLOURISH module will be a great resource for students going forward. It¡¯s packed with really valuable information that will not only help assist students with the common student struggles but also empower them to make positive changes to their lifestyle. It¡¯s also really helpful that registration to this module will stay open for students throughout the semester so that students can access these resources whenever they need them throughout the year."

Dr Hilary Murray, Research Strategy at the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, said the centre is very happy to support FLOURISH at DCU. 

As data scientists we recognise the beneficial role of data in the overall happiness of students today. Many second year students returning to college this September will not have had the full on-campus experience. Our aspiration with Flourish is that students use the programme to remain cognisant of their own wellbeing whilst negotiating the excitement and challenges that college affords.