Redefining progress: achieving sustainable well-being for all

This 22nd to the 25th of July 2025, more than 400 experts from 55 countries will come to Luxembourg for the annual conference of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, often referred to as ISQOLS. This year’s conference theme “Redefining progress: achieving sustainable well-being for all” reflects on the need for a new definition of progress that goes beyond GDP. The conference is organized by the research department of STATEC (STATEC Research) in cooperation with the University of Luxembourg, APODI a.s.b.l., and ISQOLS.

In light of ongoing climate, social, and economic crises, the supremacy of GDP is increasingly being called into question. The need for a broader definition has bolstered research on quality-of-life and well-being and shaped the work of governments and national and international institutions worldwide, including STATEC. Since 2017, STATEC measures and reports quality-of-life annually to policy makers and the public through the PiBien-etre initiative.

The conference theme is timely and unique as it looks beyond the traditional borders of quality-of-life studies to bridge with sustainability studies. Existing research indicates that economic development increases well-being, if countries promote social safety nets, protect social relations, and reduce inequalities. These results open promising avenues for developing strategies to achieve societal progress.

Prominent experts on quality-of-life and sustainability

The program will include 440 oral presentations, 40 posters, five pre-conference workshops, four keynote speakers, and one roundtable discussion. The conference welcomes four prominent experts as Keynote speakers:

• Prof. Robert Costanza – Institute for Global Prosperity, University College London, 2024 winner of the Blue Planet Prize, and founding editor of Ecological Economics. In his keynote speech, Prof. Robert Costanza will reflect on the importance of shifting from a narrow focus on GDP growth to a broader understanding and measurement of well-being to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• Lord Richard Layard – founder-Director of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics, author of numerous books, and a founding co-editor of the annual World Happiness Report Lord Richard Layard will discuss the key role of well-being cost-benefit analysis to support the inclusion of well-being in policy-making.

• Prof. Sonja Lyubomirsky – University of California, author of two best-selling books and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Prof. Sonja Lyubomirsky will discuss how to embed the quest for better lives in our daily experience, drawing especially upon her workplace well-being expertise.

•  Prof. Jeffrey Sachs – University Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, and recipient of more than 40 honorary doctorates. Prof. Jeffrey Sachs will share his views on achieving both higher well-being and social and environmental sustainability, and how to overcome related obstacles.

Three decades of quality-of-life research and perspectives for the future

To mark the 30^th anniversary of International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, Prof. Carol Graham (Brookings Institute and University of Maryland) will moderate a roundtable reflecting on three decades of quality-of-life research and perspectives for the future.

Keynote speeches and the roundtable will be recorded and made available on the YouTube channels of of ISQOLS and STATEC Research. Registration is open on the conference website.