The relationship between social security and personal well-being of students in the educational environment of a university

The subject of the research is the socio-psychological safety of students in the educational environment of a higher education institution. The modern world is characterized by a high degree of variability, dynamism, and instability, which is reflected in the rapid development of technologies, various social changes, globalization, environmental challenges, and other daily and hourly changes. Research in the field of safety at different levels of analysis is becoming increasingly relevant. The aim of the article is to study the relationship between social security and personal well-being of students in the educational environment of a higher education institution. The university is a crucial institution for the socialization of students, where significant changes in personality occur, a plan for future life is established, and entry into the professional community takes place. Therefore, it is important and necessary to maintain an environment in the educational setting that fosters a sense of safety for students in the context of their personal well-being. There is a need for sociological research on the relationship between social security and personal well-being of students in the educational environment of a higher education institution. An important stage in studying this issue lies in testing the developed methodology, and thus, in 2024, a pilot study was conducted using a quantitative data collection method—surveying in the form of questionnaires. The information base for the study consisted of data from a sociological survey of students at a university in the Altai Territory. The novelty of the research lies in expanding the understanding of the social security of students within the educational environment of a higher education institution. The key results of the pilot study are as follows: there are differences in the perception of factors ensuring social security among students with different levels of personal (psychological) well-being: academic performance, risks in the educational environment, health dynamics, and knowledge about a healthy lifestyle. Students with a high level of personal psychological well-being achieve better academic results, are less frequently victims of theft, more often adhere to personal safety rules, display vigilance, enjoy better health, and have more knowledge about a healthy lifestyle. Students with a low level of personal psychological well-being demonstrate poorer academic performance, are at greater risk of becoming victims of theft, experience worsening health during their studies, and have less knowledge about a healthy lifestyle.