UWI’s happier cities can provide a sense of place unique to the city, where the regional heritage and culture is both nurtured and experienced. The people in our happier cities – residents, workers, and visitors – have time to socialize, feel connected to their community, and be outside. They have clean streets and parks, wide sidewalks, and protected bike-ways which invite them to come outside.
The Happy City
Research shows that happier people are healthier, are more productive and creative, report less absenteeism, live longer, and have more friends. When city development is informed by what people need to be happy, the benefits can be exponential: greater resilience in economic cycles, a cleaner environment, increased international investment, more innovative entrepreneurship, and local job creation.
UWI builds happier cities by asking residents, workers, and visitors about how they are feeling and how they are doing overall in their lives and in different areas of their lives. These responses comprise the UWI Happiness and Wellbeing Index for the city. This helps prioritize objectives for new development and monitor the impact of the new developments implemented.
UWI’s happier cities provide access to economic opportunities for business start-ups, global companies, and job seekers. They provide convenient access to meet personal and professional needs – from having easy access to utility services, to seeing a doctor, to visiting family and friends.
