About

The Centre for Positive Psychology and Education (CPPE) is led by its Director Professor Rhonda Craven and comprises of a team of internationally recognised researchers. CPPE is one of two research centres in the School of Education at the University of Western Sydney. Its scholars have a strong focus on positive psychology research and also engage in multidisciplinary and multi-method scientific research on self and well-being, and educational, psychological, and social research that results in positive outcomes that enable life facilitation and build community capability. CPPE is focused on research-identified innovations that can be empirically demonstrated by rigorous quantitative and qualitative research to result in tangible outcomes, including: A positive psychology of the self; academic achievement; quality teaching; engaged learning; and enhanced educational, employment, psychological and physical health, productivity, and social outcomes. CPPE focuses on diverse educational, business, and social settings from pre-school to retirement and family and community life. CPPE research is underpinned by and synergised in genuine partnerships with families, communities, business, education stakeholders, and community organisations to address critical issues of our time.

Our research team is committed to:

  • Excellence in theory, research, and practice in all our research endeavours
  • Producing high quality scholarly research output and attracting prestigious external grants
  • A world-class HDR program
  • State-of-the-art large-scale, sophisticated quantitative research methodologies
  • Quality qualitative research methodologies - including recognising and promoting the validity of Indigenous oral history methodology and uncovering authentic new Indigenous pedagogies
  • Explicating empirically the cause and effect role of psycho-social drivers of life and community potential on important outcomes in diverse settings to address critical issues of our time
  • Identifying and promoting research strategies to enhance a positive psychology and sense of self
  • Enhancing Indigenous Education and the research capability of Indigenous Australians
  • Empowering marginalised groups (for example, disadvantaged, gifted and talented) to reach their full potential
  • Establishing effective collaborative partnerships with industry and community organisations


The Centre for Positive Psychology and Education (CPPE) focuses on 6 synergistic Research Programs:

  • Positive Lifelong Education
  • Positive SELF and Well-Being
  • Positive Psychology in Health and Medical Education
  • Positive Indigenous Studies
  • Positive Substantive-Methodological Synergy
  • Positive Psychology and Maladaptive Behaviour

 

Our Mission

The mission of the Centre for Positive Psychology and Education (CPPE) is to capitalise on excellence in international positive psychology theory, research, and practice to explicate new tangible research-demonstrated innovations that foster excellence and address critical educational and social issues of our time.

Our Vision

The Centre for Positive Psychology and Education (CPPE) seeks to empower individuals, families, workplaces, and communities to:

  • Reach their full potential and lead productive and fulfilling lives
  • Build social cohesion, capability, and capacity
  • Contribute materially to community, national, and global well-being.

 

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