From Tuesday 22 to Friday 25 July 2025, more than 400 experts from 55 countries are set to gather in Luxembourg for the annual conference of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS).

As reported by STATEC, 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 organised by the research department of STATEC (STATEC Research) in cooperation with the University of Luxembourg, APODI asbl and ISQOLS.

STATEC noted that, 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 described as 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. STATEC said these results open promising avenues for developing strategies to achieve societal progress.

The conference programme will include 440 oral presentations, 40 posters, five pre-conference workshops, four keynote speakers and one roundtable discussion. The following experts will deliver the keynote speeches:

  • Prof. Robert Costanza from the Institute for Global Prosperity at University College London (UCL), 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 (SDGs);
  • Lord Richard Layard, founder and Director of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics (LSE), author of several 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 from the 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 particularly on 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, as well as how to overcome related obstacles.

To mark the 30th anniversary of ISQOLS, 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.

For further details, including registration for the conference, visit https://isqols.org/2025