In the modern age, the debate over what truly matters in education has become urgent. Too often, institutions focus narrowly on information and credentials, neglecting students’ mental health and their deeper sense of purpose. What we need is a form of education that offers both depth and range, enabling learners to explore the world and also their inner selves.

Mental health is not a side concern — studies show that a student’s psychological wellbeing critical affects academic performance, retention and achievement. When institutions integrate mental health education and services, they support students in coping with pressure and reduce stigma.  Meanwhile, cultivating purpose and meaning helps learners connect their studies to values, social engagement and self-understanding. Recent research shows that brief interventions prompting students to reflect on purpose can shift academic interests toward socially meaningful domains.

An education that fails any one of these pillars - knowledge, wellness, or purpose - remains incomplete. The challenge for universities is to design curricula and campus cultures that nurture thinking, feeling, and aspiring. In doing so, education becomes not merely a credential, but a lifelong compass guiding both the mind and the heart.