In recent years, malaise has been spreading among university students. Campus drop
outs, feelings of uncertainty and worry about academic deadlines, lack of social support,
and inequalities are frequent manifestations of this situation. To better understand these
phenomena, most studies and interventions are primarily focused on addressing
individual vulnerabilities. Psychological support interventions have been implemented in
universities, and different individual resources and difficulties have been investigated.
Less attention was paid to relational and contextual factors, even though the health
promotion approach emphasizes the interconnectedness between individuals and their
environments, and calls for organizational changes (WHO, 1986). The goal of this
presentation is to illustrate the structure and findings of a multicenter cross-sectional study
with a large sample of Italian university students. The study is included in the broader
project 'University for psychological well-being: from prevention to psychological
support' developed following the Health Promoting University approach (ACHA, 2025;
Suárez-Reyes et al., 2019). It involves 8 Universities in Italy and is funded by the Ministry
of University and Research (Proben project).The study is focused on the investigation of
individual, relational and organizational risk and protective factors in students' well
being, taking into account factors related to both students' personal lives and university
experiences. A person-centered approach will be used to identify students' profiles, based
on individual well-being levels and lifestyle conditions, as well as contextual risk and
protective factors. The early identification of distress and malaise symptoms will allow
for implementing early interventions to address them from a health-promotion
perspective. The results will serve as guidelines to implement specific policies and
intervention protocols based on the Health Promoting University approach, through the
incorporation of health in the university culture, processes and policies, and through the
promotion of an organizational and learning environment supporting health and well
being among students and the whole academic community.