Upcoming Events Well-being Seminar Thursday 2 June 2011 "Well-Being Reconsidered: Free Traits, Personal Projects and the Happiness of Pursuit" Brian Little Distinguished Scholar in the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Cambridge University, and Professor Emeritus at Carleton University, Canada, with former positions at Oxford, McGill and Harvard Universities The Big Five personality dimensions are important in understanding organisational life. This talk challenges the notion of fixed traits of personality and proposes an alternative view that highlights the importance of free traits in our personal and professional lives. Free traits, which advance our core personal projects, may enhance our well-being and the prosperity of our institutions. But unless managed well, they can also bring us to our knees. Darwin College University of Cambridge 4.30-5.30 p.m. Followed by wine and nibbles All interested are welcome _________________________________________________________________________ International Event in Australia Sunday 3 August 2011 "Global Developments in Wellbeing" Felicia Huppert Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry Fellow of the British Psychological Society Fellow of Darwin College, Cambridge St. Peter's College 7:00 p.m. To register or download the full program click here. Bookings are essential as places are limited. _________________________________________________________________________ Past Events Well-being Seminar Tuesday 17 May 2011 "The impact of the economic crisis on happiness and well-being" Dora Gudmundsdottir Visiting Scholar, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge University and former Director of Public Health in Iceland Imagine an experiment where a population is placed on an island, their banks and economy collapse, and the results on their lives are observed. This describes the situation in Iceland, where the island population's happiness and well-being were measured before, during and after the economic crisis. The talk documents the changes which took place, including the individual and social factors which led either to mental distress or to resilience. Darwin College University of Cambridge 4.30-5.30 p.m. Followed by wine and nibbles All interested are welcome _________________________________________________________________________ Measuring National Well-Being - What Matters to You? Judge Business School and the Well-Being Institute, University of Cambridge are pleased to host a debate on the measurement of national well-being on behalf of the Office for National Statistics, to take place at: Judge Business School University of Cambridge Wednesday 23rd March, 2011 6.00 - 7.30 Debate 7.30 Drinks Reception The Office for National Statistics is developing a set of measures of national well-being to complement economic measures - such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - that until now have underpinned evaluations of 'how the UK is doing'. The National Statistician has accordingly launched a nationwide debate with the aim of understanding the dimensions and key features of national well-being - or, more simply, determining what things matter to people. The Cambridge event will take the form of a 'Question Time' debate, chaired by the BBC's Claudia Hammond. Panellists will be: -Jen Beaumont, Social Trends Branch Head, Office for National Statistics -Andrew Gamble, Professor of Politics, Head of Department of Politics and International Studies & Associate Fellow of the Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge -David Halpern, Director, Behavioural Insights Team, Cabinet Office -Felicia Huppert, Professor of Psychology & Director of the Well-Being Institute, University of Cambridge -Simon Learmount, Director of the Executive MBA, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge -Nic Marks, Founder of the Centre for Well-Being, Fellow at the New Economics Foundation This is a public event for which you can register at http://www.whatmatterstoyou.eventbrite.com. You are warmly encouraged to contribute your views and ideas as part of the national debate. You can either submit questions in advance when registering or raise issues from the floor. Please note there is very limited parking at the venue. The debate and reception is being sponsored by the Cambridge Executive MBA programme. Join the debate: http://www.ons.gov.uk/well-being Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/statisticsONS Find the latest data on the economy and society at National Statistics: http://www.ons.gov.uk