History of the Australian Centre on Quality of Life
The Australian Centre on Quality of Life (ACQOL) was established to study evidence-based measures for quality of life.
ACQOL formed a partnership with Australian Unity in 2001 to develop the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index – a national survey which uses several indicators to measure subjective life quality. The Centre is also home to data from the Australian Unity Longitudinal Wellbeing Study. This study follows-up the samples of Australians who respond to the annual cross-sectional surveys.
What we do
Theory and empirical research
ACQOL is committed to improving our understanding of life quality through both theory development and empirical research.Notable advances in understanding have been achieved through the development and evaluation of the theory of Subjective Wellbeing (SWB) homeostasis, the discovery of SWB set-points, and the demonstration that SWB mainly comprises positive-activated mood (Homeostatically Protected Mood).
Open access
All reports and data resulting from the Australian Unity project, currently including 35 national, cross-sectional surveys, are freely available for download. The longitudinal data are currently being assembled into a single coherent file and will be available by the end of 2020. Cross-sectional data from other surveys are also available.
Advancement and advocacy
ACQOL is committed to developing new research techniques and fostering collaborations with like-minded researchers. Current SWB longitudinal research within the Centre is trialling novel techniques, such as micro-longitudinal research and smartphone apps. An emerging orientation within the Centre concerns the development of valid SWB measures for children.
International Wellbeing Group
ACQOL also supports the International Wellbeing Group (IWG) – an international collaborative network of researchers. The collective aim of the IWG is to develop the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) into a standard, cross-cultural measure of Subjective Wellbeing (SWB).
- The group was formed by Professor Robert Cummins and Dr Anna Lau in November 2001
- Members hold periodic discussions regarding the scale’s format
- Under the auspice of the IWG, the PWI will continue to develop in the spirit of controlled evolution
As new results and insights into subjective wellbeing emerge, the current 6th Edition (2024) will be modified to optimise the ability of the scale to yield data, that are consistent with the SWB construct, in a cross-cultural context.
ACQOL Collaborators
Australian Unity
Australian Unity is a mutual organisation that has been helping Australians thrive for more than 175 years in the areas of health, wealth and living. We support almost one million customers, including nearly 300,000 members nationwide, to meet their health and financial needs.
Australian Unity is proud of its 20-year partnership with Deakin University to make the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index available to academics, researchers and the general public. Australian Unity believes it makes a significant contribution to the nation’s understanding of wellbeing.
For further information, visit the Australian Unity website.
Researcher Collaborations
ACQOL also collaborates with other researchers through two consortiums: ACQOL members and the International wellbeing group.