Community as a Force for Retention in Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines faculty well-being through the reflections of the participants of the ELTE EDUFlow program. While academia often prioritizes student-centeredness, the authors argue that mentally balanced educators are vital for quality teaching. Identifying protective factors (e.g. supportive communities, work-life balance, and interdisciplinary collaboration), the paper shows how reducing isolation is a key to methodological renewal as well, concluding that faculty well-being is a pillar of institutional growth and student satisfaction.

The study shows the additional positive effects of the ELTE EDUFlow program, which aims to renew teaching methods, on the participants of the 2025 academic year. Through the specific design of primarily digital teaching methodology training, it provided additional protective factors for higher education teachers that contributed to their well-being.

While professional discourse typically focuses on student well-being and performance, the authors argue that one of the basic conditions for quality education is the well-being of educators. The program provided an opportunity to identify several protective factors, including the formation of a supportive professional community, the consolidation of teaching identity, the establishment of cross-disciplinary relationships and, in parallel, a reduction in isolation, as well as a more conscious creation of a work-life balance.

Although higher education methodology usually focuses on student learning outcomes, the unexpected, interventionary effects of the EDUFlow program highlighted the strategic importance of faculty well-being. Conscious support for teacher well-being can be a priority goal of institutional development, as it indirectly contributes to student satisfaction and the quality of education.