The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) hosted the Intellectual Wellness and Research Excellence Forum (IWRE) as part of its strategic commitment to strengthening an integrated research culture and embedding holistic wellness across its academic environment.
The forum serves as a key platform to showcase ongoing and completed research, enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, and highlight the role of research in advancing the University’s institutional priorities.
The forum aligns with UDST’s Wellness Strategy, which adopts a comprehensive approach linking academic performance with overall well-being, and emphasises intellectual wellness as a core pillar.
This includes encouraging engagement in creative and mentally stimulating activities, promoting curiosity and lifelong learning, and enabling knowledge exchange across the academic community.
In this context, research at UDST is viewed not only as an academic outcome, but as a powerful mechanism for supporting intellectual wellness, strengthening critical thinking, and enabling interdisciplinary dialogue, contributing to a dynamic and innovation-driven learning environment.
Among the research presented, a study examined the impact of an integrated wellness intervention designed for first-year students, aimed at enhancing health literacy, increasing wellness awareness, and promoting healthier behaviours during the transition into university life.
The intervention combined structured wellness education within a first-year academic course with individualised coaching based on an eight-dimensional wellness framework, covering physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and financial well-being.
The study demonstrated measurable improvements among participating students, including increased health literacy levels and significant gains across multiple domains of health-promoting behaviours such as nutrition, stress management, and health responsibility.
Students also reported a stronger understanding of wellness concepts, greater awareness of the link between health and academic performance, and improved ability to adopt more balanced daily habits.
The findings further highlighted the impact of personalised coaching in achieving stronger outcomes, underscoring the importance of tailored support within a comprehensive wellness framework.
Commenting on the initiative, Dr Salem Al-Naemi, President of UDST said: “The IWRE Forum reflects UDST’s commitment to integrating research within its institutional wellness framework, enhancing the quality of the academic experience and supporting student success. Through this holistic approach, we continue to advance an academic environment that promotes innovation, encourages knowledge exchange, and delivers meaningful impact within the University and beyond.”
The forum provides an interactive platform for faculty to present their research, exchange ideas, and explore collaborative opportunities across disciplines, reinforcing UDST’s position as a leading hub for applied research and innovation.
