An evidence-based intervention tackling the defining public health crisis of our time β starting with 510 Engineering first-years whose own words reveal a hidden epidemic.
Explore the problem, the evidence, the impact, and the solution.
In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a public health crisis. The WHO, UK, and Japan followed. This is not hyperbole β it is documented reality based on large-scale research across 142 countries and multiple populations.
"Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling β it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death."
β U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Connection, May 2023Surgeon General declared loneliness a public health epidemic in May 2023 with a landmark advisory report.
Created a cabinet-level "Minister of Loneliness" position in 2018 β the first country to do so.
Released "From Loneliness to Social Connection: Charting a Path to Healthier Societies."
SUBSIFY baseline surveys across 9,710 incoming first-years (2021β2023) reveal an accelerating trend. Every single student social connection indicator worsened over three years.
Every single student social connection indicator worsened from 2021 to 2023. This is not a statistical anomaly β it's a sustained, accelerating crisis affecting real people in our community.
Staff workplace loneliness score (2023), up from 4.07 in 2019.
Estimated 25% of staff experiencing high workplace loneliness (scores 7β10).
Staff experiencing moderate to very high workplace loneliness.
During Welcoming Week 2026, students participated in the "I Belong at Stellenbosch University" intervention and wrote unfiltered reflections. Their words reveal what quantitative surveys miss β the lived reality of social disconnection.
These are not marginal students β these are successful matriculants admitted to one of South Africa's most competitive Engineering programs. Technical brilliance does not immunise against loneliness.
Loneliness, social anxiety, financial stress, homesickness, and academic pressure compound and reinforce each other.
"I struggle to blend in with the culture as I have a very strict way of living which is not common among other first years. This results in isolation as no person can really understand and accept who I am."
β Engineering Student 516, Welcoming Week 2026 [β Verified in raw data]"I am a foreign student, and I attended a very small private school where help was readily accessible. The adjustment to being 'just a number' is difficult. I need to navigate through the challenges of living alone and all at the same time, managing to do well academically."
β Engineering Student 489, Welcoming Week 2026 [β Verified]"It is not bad not to know, but it is bad to remain without knowledge when knowledge is at your disposal. Get friendly with asking for help when you need it. It might be difficult because your mind tells you that the question you are going to ask is stupid, but ask it anyway."
β Engineering Student 516, peer advice [β Verified]Students KNOW they should ask for help. They KNOW support structures exist. But social anxiety, introversion, fear of judgement, and overwhelming class sizes create barriers that knowledge alone cannot overcome. This is why evidence-based intervention is critical β telling students "just ask for help" fails because the barrier is emotional, not informational.
Our "Making Differences Count" (MDC) belonging intervention has been rigorously tested across 1,800+ Engineering students with peer-reviewed results published at IEEE WEEF-GEDC 2024.
Engineering Mathematics 115 β two-proportion z-test (Ξ± = 0.05)
| Student Group | Participants | Non-Participants | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entire Cohort | 81.4% | 69.3% | p < 0.0001 |
| First-Generation (Gen1) | 74.1% | 58.3% | p = 0.006 |
| Continuing-Generation (Gen2+) | 84.2% | 75.3% | p = 0.007 |
| Lower SES (SES3β) | 83.6% | 73.7% | p = 0.001 |
The intervention benefits all students, not just disadvantaged subgroups. Continuing-generation and higher-SES students also show statistically significant improvements. However, the largest gains are for first-generation students β exactly the population most vulnerable to loneliness and disconnection.
The intervention achieves its core outcomes. On all three outcome dimensions, scores are high to very high on a 7-point scale:
The very high Seeking Support scores (51.6% at ceiling) indicate students are overwhelmingly receptive to the help-seeking message. This creates an ideal environment for the Connected programme's peer-support and mentoring initiatives β students have already been primed to view support-seeking as a strength.
185 students expect the social experience at SU to be difficult β the strongest loneliness risk signal in the dataset.
64 students reported elevated anxiety, overwhelm, or stress β despite finding the stories equally useful.
29 students scored below midpoint on Belonging β they do not yet anticipate fitting in at SU.
Unlike generic advice about "getting out more" or "being yourself," Connected is a comprehensive, evidence-based course that provides structured interventions addressing the psychological, emotional, and practical dimensions of loneliness. Drawing from peer-reviewed research in positive psychology, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and social connection science, it delivers 21 interactive tools across 6 progressive modules β totalling approximately 10β14 hours of guided, reflective work.
3 tools Β· Validated assessments reveal your unique loneliness patterns, personality influences, and current coping strategies.
4 tools Β· Strengthen self-esteem, practise emotional awareness, and learn to distinguish healthy solitude from painful isolation.
4 tools Β· Manage social anxiety, challenge negative thoughts, and build conversation confidence through CBT-based techniques.
4 tools Β· Move from insight to action β get socially active, map and expand your network, navigate life transitions.
5 tools Β· Build deeper friendships, values-aligned relationships, and develop resilience for social challenges.
1 tool Β· Synthesize everything into a personalized roadmap with SMART goals, support systems, and concrete next steps.
Slideshow-based learning β grasp the research, concepts, and evidence-based strategies behind each tool.
Complete assessments, reflective exercises, skill-building activities, and action planning worksheets.
Review past reflections, compare scores over time, and see visible evidence of your growth and progress.
Validated assessments reveal your unique loneliness patterns, personality influences, and current coping strategies.
21 concrete tools for initiating conversations, building confidence, expanding your network, and deepening friendships.
CBT-based techniques for challenging negative thoughts, managing rejection, processing emotions, and building resilience.
A customised roadmap specifically designed for your situation, values, and goals β with daily habits that prevent future loneliness.
Single-dimension interventions (e.g., "just make friends" or "just ask for help") fail because they don't address the complex, interconnected nature of student struggles. With 81.6% of students matching 2+ themes and 59% matching 3+, only a multi-faceted, evidence-based approach can meet the scale and complexity of this crisis.
Each area of our research is documented in detail. Select a report to explore the complete analysis.
510 students, 6 dimensions, threshold analysis, student profiles, and correlation matrices from the 2026 Feel at Home intervention.
View Full Report βThematic deep dives into 3,570 text responses β what students actually said about loneliness, anxiety, and connection.
View Full Report βSUBSIFY and Staff Survey analysis (2021β2023): 9,710 students and 3,222 staff documenting the accelerating crisis.
View Full Report βSurgeon General, Gallup, WHO, and peer-reviewed research: the global loneliness epidemic in numbers.
View Full Report βIEEE WEEF-GEDC 2024 peer-reviewed results: pass rates, retention, and mark improvements across subgroups.
View Full Report βThe business case for Connected: crisis data, ROI, implementation plan, and institutional alignment.
View Full Report βThe complete overview of Connected: 21 evidence-based tools across 6 modules, what you'll learn, how it works, and how to enroll.
Learn More & Enroll β