‘Happy badges’ for being upbeat on campus

BRITAIN’S first university “happiness tsar” is to tackle rising levels of anxiety in the run-up to exam season by giving out “happy badges” to students who go the extra mile to lift the spirits of those in need.

Cherry Coombe, a lecturer at the University of Buckingham, will lead the initiative with the aim of improving the “working and learning environment” by promoting mental well-being. The badges, which look like traditional prefect badges but have the word “happiness” written in gold, have already been awarded to students who took part in a local parade through Buckingham and to staff whose actions “improved the work environment”.

Ms Coombe said the badges were awarded to students to “formalise the notion of being successful as a resilient person” by setting an upbeat example. “We validate academic success,” she said. “But we very rarely like to acknowledge optimism and resilience. My aim is that absolutely everyone in the university has a happiness badge.”

As part of its effort to be the UK’S first “positive university”, Buckingham has also bought two black cockapoos for students to stroke, which is said to relieve stress. The dogs are available for students to walk in the event of overwhelming exam pressure.