Melbourne, 19 November 2025 — The Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne was filled with excitement and intellectual energy as more than 200 lecturers, professors, researchers, students, and wellbeing practitioners gathered for the launch of the Routledge volume Wellbeing Literacy: Theory and Practice through Multidisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Lenses. Edited by international wellbeing leaders Lindsay G. Oades, Narelle Lemon, Jacqui Francis, and Tim Lomas, the book represents an important contribution to global wellbeing scholarship and aligns strongly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Among the international contributors, a research team from Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), Indonesia, led by Dr. Siti Nuzulia, gained notable attention for their chapter titled “Exploring Wellbeing Literacy among Javanese Undergraduates.” As one of four invited panelists, Dr. Nuzulia presented key findings from their research, offering a cultural and spiritual perspective that enriched the global conversation on wellbeing literacy. Her presentation highlighted that Javanese wellbeing literacy is shaped by deeply rooted cultural values—such as spiritual grounding expressed through concepts like ikhlas, sabar, and alhamdulillah; relational harmony represented in rukun; and respectful communication embedded in the linguistic layers of ngoko–krama. She emphasized how Javanese young people negotiate between tradition and modernity, forming a hybrid wellbeing language that blends ancestral wisdom with contemporary wellbeing concepts.
Her insights challenged Western-centric models of wellbeing literacy, reminding the global audience that wellbeing is not merely individual or linguistic but cultural, relational, and context-bound. This contribution supports SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by bringing underrepresented cultural frameworks into mainstream academic discourse. The presentation received strong engagement, with attendees posing critical questions about indigenous knowledge systems, cultural variation in wellbeing expression, and the future of cross-cultural wellbeing research.
Beyond the academic discussions, the book launch served as a vibrant platform for strengthening international partnerships. Conversations between UNNES faculty and researchers from the University of Melbourne opened new pathways for collaboration, including joint research, co-teaching initiatives, staff and student mobility programs, and cross-cultural wellbeing literacy projects. These emerging initiatives reflect the global spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), demonstrating how universities can work together to advance shared priorities through education and knowledge exchange.
The book launch also reaffirmed the importance of wellbeing literacy as a transformative capability in education, aligning with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Participants praised the book’s multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach, noting its capacity to shape more inclusive, human-centered educational frameworks that empower individuals and communities to communicate, interpret, and cultivate wellbeing across diverse cultural contexts. For UNNES, this moment marks a significant milestone in Indonesia’s contribution to global educational research. By elevating Javanese cultural philosophies on an international stage, the UNNES research team showcased the richness, depth, and global relevance of Indonesian scholarship. Their participation reinforces the importance of culturally grounded wellbeing research in building healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable societies worldwide.
