Stem Higher Education and Mature-Aged Students: Building a Model for Well-Being and Institutional Support

Autor

  • Inga Šnēbaha Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia
  • Inga Jēkabsone Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, Riga Technical University, Kipsalas 6a, Riga, LV-1048, Latvia
  • Lāsma Ulmane-Ozoliņa Centre for Nature and Engineering, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia
  • Irina Strazdiņa Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia
  • Inta Kulberga Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia
  • Leonards Budņiks Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, Riga Technical University, Kipsalas 6a, Riga, LV-1048, Latvia
  • Rūta Treija Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia
  • Līga Spjute Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia
  • Jessica Swenson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo NY, 14260, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2026.1.199.218

Słowa kluczowe:

higher education, mature-aged students, model, diversity, STEM, well-being

Abstrakt

Aim. As the global demand for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates continues to rise, ensuring the well-being of diverse student groups, including mature-aged students (ages 30 and above), is increasingly recognised as essential for fostering inclusive and sustainable higher education systems. This study explores the well-being dimensions of mature-aged students in STEM programmes through a case study of Riga Technical University (RTU) in Latvia.

Methods. Adopting a mixed-methods approach - combining a systematic literature review, a survey, and semi-structured interviews with mature-aged STEM students - the research investigates five key well-being dimensions: academic, financial, physical, psychological resilience, and relational.

Results. The findings reveal that mature-aged STEM students’ well-being is shaped by three interrelated factors: academic–relational climate, resource strain and well-being burden, and academic skills and literacies. Faculty engagement, respectful communication, and inclusive learning environments significantly support academic and relational well-being. However, financial and psychological challenges - often linked to work-study-family tensions - require coordinated institutional and policy-level responses.

Conclusions. The results underscore the need for flexible academic structures, accessible faculty, and integrated support services. A conceptual model is proposed to guide institutional support, highlighting how systemic interventions across all five well-being dimensions can foster inclusive and sustainable engagement for mature-aged learners in STEM education.

Pobrania

Statystyki pobrań niedostępne.

Biogramy autorów

  • Inga Šnēbaha - Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia

    She holds a PhD in Educational Sciences. She is a Rsearcher and Assistant Professor at Riga Technical University, Liepaja Academy. Her research activity is related to the study of aspects of education management, adult education, higher education,  including in the context of the dimensions of quality of life and well-being.

  • Inga Jēkabsone - Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, Riga Technical University, Kipsalas 6a, Riga, LV-1048, Latvia

    A Senior Researcher and Assistant Professor at Riga Technical University. She holds a doctoral degree in public management awarded by the University of Latvia in 2017. The scientific interests include education management, online education, well-being, and sustainability studies.

  • Lāsma Ulmane-Ozoliņa - Centre for Nature and Engineering, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia

    Researcher, Dr.paed., research interest in technology enhanced learning, digital skills development.

  • Irina Strazdiņa - Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia

    Researcher, Dr.psych. The scientific research interest is related to the study of the psychological aspects of personality self-actualization – specifically, the investigation of the psychoemotional, cognitive, behavioral, and activity aspects across different age periods. The interest also covers the development of critical thinking and the diversity of personality's sense of humor. The research emphasizes the importance of goal-orientation (or purposefulness), the promotion of competitiveness, and psychoemotional well-being.

  • Inta Kulberga - Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia

    Dr.Kulberga's concept of action is based on existing work studying issues related to educational management and recognizing the need for further research, as well as linking my research framework with the university's strategic development direction: "Excellence in education and management for the sustainability of human capital capacity and quality of life". Dr.Kulberga would link her concept of action with educational management in order to provide theoretically sound and practically implementable educational management methods, approaches and tools.

    Her main research directions are related to such concepts as educational management, governance, career education, labor market, employment, youth entrepreneurship, professional competence.

  • Leonards Budņiks - Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, Riga Technical University, Kipsalas 6a, Riga, LV-1048, Latvia

    A professor of practice and researcher at Riga Technical University, Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management. His academic work focuses on the interaction between generative artificial intelligence and higher education, particularly on how AI influences students’ epistemic agency, motivation, and understanding.

  • Rūta Treija - Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia

    She has obtained a Bachelor's degree with honours (BSc Hons) in Forensic Psychology. She is currently pursuing studies in two master's programmes, studying at the Liepāja Academy of Riga Technical University (RTU) to obtain a Master of Educational Sciences degree (Mg.sc.educ.), and simultaneously studying at Wrexham University (United Kingdom) in order to obtain a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology. Her main research interests are focused on two priority areas: the professional education and competency development of law enforcement officers, and the psychological aspects of the public's perception of crime.

     

  • Līga Spjute - Centre of Management and Social Sciences, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Lielā 14, Liepaja, LV-3401, Latvia

    APhD student in Education Sciences, Research Assistant for the study "Experience of Well-being of Mature Students in Higher Education in the Context of Diversity" under the banner of Riga Technical University, and the Assistant Director of the Pavilosta Music School. Her scientific interests evolve around and are focused on spirituality based values in the education of minors in elementary and secondary schools, as well as the humanistic approach and the overall well-being of students from elementary through university education.

  • Jessica Swenson - School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo NY, 14260, USA

    Dr.Swenson is an Assistant Professor at the University at Buffalo in the Department of Engineering Education in Buffalo, New York. She received her doctorate in mechanical engineering and masters in STEM education from Tufts University (Medford, MA), and bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). Her research focuses on improving undergraduate student learning and experiences in undergraduate engineering sciences courses with a particular interest in emotions within problem solving and the development of engineering identity. She also is interested in complex problem solving and engineering judgment.

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Pobrania

Opublikowane

2026-06-27

Numer

Tom 17 Nr 1 (2026): Journal of Education Culture and Society

Dział

TRANSGRESSION

Licencja

Prawa autorskie (c) 2026 Inga Šnēbaha, Inga Jēkabsone, Lāsma Ulmane-Ozoliņa, Irina Strazdiņa, Inta Kulberga, Leonards Budņiks, Rūta Treija, Līga Spjute, Jessica Swenson

Creative Commons License

Utwór dostępny jest na licencji Creative Commons Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowe.

CC-BY

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. All authors agree for publishing their email adresses, affiliations and short bio statements with their articles during the submission process.

Jak cytować

Šnēbaha, I. ., Jēkabsone, I., Ulmane-Ozoliņa, L., Strazdiņa, I. ., Kulberga, I. ., Budņiks, L., Treija, R., Spjute, L., & Swenson, J. (2026). Stem Higher Education and Mature-Aged Students: Building a Model for Well-Being and Institutional Support. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 17(1), 199-218. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2026.1.199.218