The Australian Centre on Quality of Life (ACQoL) is a research group based in the SEED Lifespan research centre that monitors the subjective wellbeing of Australian adolescents and adults. Our research guides public health policy by enhancing the understanding of subjective wellbeing and its indicators, through the theory of subjective wellbeing homeostasis. The centre also provides methodological guidance and tools for measuring subjective wellbeing across different population groups and cultures.
Our researchers are committed to enhancing the scientific understanding of quality of life and subjective wellbeing through three key research areas.
Our research advances understandings of subjective wellbeing through the theory of subjective wellbeing homeostasis, identifying evidence of set points, analysing homeostatically protected mood and measuring the key drivers of subjective wellbeing.
We measure subjective wellbeing using the two widely used and validated measures: the global life satisfaction measure which asks people how satisfied they are with their life as a whole, and the Personal Wellbeing Index, which measures life satisfaction across seven primary life domains.
Our data dashboard provides access to substantial data sets and statistical expertise. These are used to advance understanding of how subjective wellbeing measurement can inform the development of public policy and management of contemporary societal issues.
If you’re interested in the scientific understanding of quality of life and subjective wellbeing, you can become an ACQoL member to learn more about our research and engage in discussions with our community.
The Australian Centre on Quality of Life is committed to improving our understanding of life quality through both theory development and empirical research.
Emeritus Professor Robert A. Cummins
Founding Director, Australian Centre on Quality of Life
Emeritus Professor Robert Cummins is the founding director of the ACQoL, co-founder of the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index and the creator of the Personal Wellbeing Index.
Dr Kate Lycett is a senior research fellow at Deakin and the lead investigator on the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index Project.
Professor Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewitz is an associate dean of research within the Faculty of Health and the director of data science at Seed Lifespan.
Associate Professor Delyse Hutchinson is a clinical psychologist, who was a lead investigator on the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index project between 2014 and 2021.
Professor Craig Olsson is a professor of child and adolescent health (psychology). He is the director of Seed Lifespan and the scientific adviser for ACQoL.
We foster collaborations and develop new research techniques that help us to create evidence-based solutions that enhance knowledge and make a positive impact on society.
The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index (AUWI) is an annual survey that measures and monitors subjective wellbeing of Australians at the adult population level. Collected annually since 2001, AUWI data enables tracking of Australian's wellbeing over time.
The AUWI Data Dashboard is an interactive web-based platform that allows public access to historical and future Australian Unity Wellbeing Index survey data, allowing users to view and export data and results on wellbeing trends across various demographics and time periods.
We have a longstanding partnership with Australian Unity that has enabled us to deliver high-quality research on subjective wellbeing and influence public policy in Australia.
Members are kept in contact with one another, and with their common research area of life quality, through the weekly publication of the Australian Centre on Quality of Life Bulletin. It highlights academic news, analyses contemporary articles and showcases scientific discussions between members.
Our team is here to answer your questions and help you learn more about the ACQoL.
