ABSTRACT
Research has repeatedly highlighted the importance of existential beliefs and meaning to psychological wellbeing. While religiousness provides a formalised and sometimes culture-bound structure in which existential questions are addressed, spirituality captures a wider range of beliefs, which may also be highly personalised. The present chapter discusses the different roles that spirituality and religiousness can play in higher education. For university students and staff finding themselves under stress, spirituality and religiousness can provide valuable coping mechanisms and a safe base for continuity and constancy in challenging environments. However, more research is necessary to investigate the particular circumstances that need to be present for spirituality and religiousness to exert beneficial health effects, especially in the context of higher education.
