About IPEN & positive education

international positive education network

We support all educational stakeholders so that individuals, communities, and societies flourish.


OUR VISION

We believe in a world where wellbeing, character, and resilience education are core elements of the global education ecosystem.

Our MISSION

What is Positive education?

Positive education is an umbrella term that encompasses the science and practice of evidence-based approaches that support human flourishing within educational ecosystems. 

Sometimes referred to as “Pos Ed,” positive education is the application of insights from positive psychology and related wellbeing and systems-oriented fields within educational settings to support the flourishing of students, educators, educational environments, and communities.

Rooted in the ever-growing field of positive psychology, positive education has continued to evolve as perspectives from across wellbeing and systems science enrich the ecosystem - strengthening our collective capacity to learn, grow, and support flourishing worldwide.

Decades of research suggest that wellbeing is in service of learning - the two are interconnected.


Positive education values both the fulfillment of intellectual potential and the development of wellbeing-supportive skills, behaviours, mindsets, and relationships - as well as systems and environments that prioritize the wellbeing of all. As education systems continue to evolve, human and collective flourishing are increasingly recognized not only as contributors to learning, but as educational aims in their own right.

The aim of IPEN is to bring together educators, parents, researchers, students, schools, colleges, universities, charities, companies, and governments to promote positive education. Our goals are to support collaboration, enhanced educational practice, and policy reform.

our story

THE EVOLUTION OF IPEN

The International Positive Education Network was born out of a meeting of the minds in 2013. Professor Martin Seligman, Sir Anthony Seldon and Lord James O’Shaughnessy brought together sixteen of the world leaders in positive psychology and education. From this meeting came two observations:

  • A Common DNA – despite geographic differences we found a common theme in the approach to positive education as seen through the promotion of academics alongside character & well-being. This has now become the Double Helix model of positive education that IPEN promotes.

  • No Global Organization – It was abundantly evident that there were excellent practices in Positive Education taking place across the world, but there was no one body who brought these ideas, people and projects together in one place. This was the basis for creating IPEN – to connect people to the best research, policy and practice from around the world.

I believe from my experience with movements, that when you have massive interest in a common goal - like educating young people to life satisfaction - education for happiness - it's very important to construct a 'big tent' in which all of the different researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders are comfortable coming together.

So IPEN is a network - a 'big tent' network - for exactly the purpose of promoting the best practices and the best research in positive education.

The International Positive Education Network (IPEN) was established to connect, support, and amplify a growing global movement dedicated to human flourishing in education. In its early years, IPEN was guided by its first Chair, Lord James O’Shaughnessy, who led the Advisory Board through the foundational stages of the organization’s development and helped establish IPEN’s global vision and purpose.

In 2014, Emily Larson joined IPEN, and in 2015 she was appointed Director. Over the following years, her leadership, energy, and commitment played a significant role in strengthening IPEN’s international presence and advancing the field of positive education worldwide.

In 2016, IPEN convened the 1st Festival of Positive Education in Dallas, USA, bringing together educators, researchers, practitioners, philanthropists, and policymakers from around the world. In March 2017 Chris Stawski stepped into the role of Chair and served IPEN with distinction until early 2020. His wisdom, determination and diplomacy assisted IPEN enormously.

- Dr. Martin Seligman, IPEN Co-Founder

IPEN Founding MOment
Wellington, UK, 2013

A landmark moment in IPEN’s evolution came in 2018, with the 2nd Festival of Positive Education in Fort Worth, Texas, held as part of the World Positive Education Accelerator (WPEA). Convened by IPEN in partnership with the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, the WPEA brought together over 800 participants from more than 30 countries to accelerate positive education through a whole-systems, strengths-based approach. 
The WPEA event marked a significant expansion of the field - bridging positive psychology with systems science, Appreciative Inquiry, education innovation, and global collaboration - and helped catalyze new regional networks, partnerships, and initiatives around the world.
download the Wpea report

visual summaries from WPEA keynote speakers

Click each image to zoom in

In October 2020, IPEN hosted its 3rd global conference as a virtual event in association with Universidad Tecmilenio in Monterrey, Mexico - ensuring continuity of global connection and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recognizing its growing international reach, IPEN introduced a new global governance structure in 2020, better reflecting the diversity and distributed leadership of the network. In February 2020, Simon Murray OAM was appointed Global Chair of the IPEN Board. In 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dominic A.A Randolph was elected as Global Chair. In May 2024, Anne Johnstone was appointed the new Global Chair of the IPEN Board.

IPEN continues to benefit from the active involvement and leadership of its Co-Founders, Professor Martin E. P. Seligman and Sir Anthony Seldon, whose contributions remain central to the organization’s vision and evolution.

The early establishment and success of IPEN were made possible through the generous support and belief of Stuart Johnson, Founder and CEO of Success Partners, and Jeff Olson, Founder and CEO of Neora LLC and Co-Founder of Live Happy, LLC. IPEN gratefully acknowledges their foundational contributions to building a global network dedicated to flourishing.
Today, IPEN’s Board includes the Chairs of its founding regional networks - Australia, Latin America, MENA, Southeast Asia, UK & Europe, and the United States - alongside the Chair of IPEN Greece and at-large Board members representing diverse expertise and regions.

In February 2026, Dana Fulwiler Volk was appointed Chief Executive Officer, marking the beginning of a new chapter for IPEN. As the organization looks ahead, IPEN is focused on deepening global collaboration, strengthening systems-level impact, and supporting a diverse, inclusive community of educators, leaders, researchers, and advocates working together to advance flourishing in education worldwide.

ipen's global community of educators, leaders, researchers, and wellbeing advocates represents 72 countries - and growing.

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What is positive education?

voices from IPEN's community

Learn how to flourish while you go to school.

- Margarita Tarragona 

Positive education will produce the students of the future, not of the past.

- Yukun Zhao

It allows to discover the strengths of every individual, and their own purpose in life.

- Héctor Escamilla

The intersection of traditional education with the building of wellbeing.

- Martin Seligman