Towards a Behavioural Systems Map of the University System in Relation to Student Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

University students often exhibit high levels of sedentary behaviour (SB) and low levels of physical activity (PA). Previous efforts to increase students’ movement have focused on leisure-time PA or overlooked the university environment and the education system. Embedding PA into university education offers one potentially fruitful avenue for increasing student movement, yet understanding is needed of how and why the university education system influences students’ movement before effective interventions can be developed. This study used a novel behavioural systems mapping method to explore the behaviours, actors, and influences affecting students’ PA and SB during university education. The aim of the study was to develop a preliminary behavioural systems map based on a combined dataset of interviews with 20 university students and 38 staff in a variety of roles. Data were qualitatively analysed to construct a map of the perceived actors, behaviours, and influences affecting students’ movement behaviours, as well as causal links between them. Influences were further analysed using the capability, opportunity, and motivation model of behaviour (COM-B). The resulting map would need further data input and corroboration to be considered a comprehensive map, yet the results presented in this study provide a useful starting point in this regard. Thirty-one different behaviours across three areas were identified: student movement in classes (or contact teaching time), student movement in private study time, and wider system influences and behaviours. The map had over 100 elements and connections in total, demonstrating the system complexity as described by participants. A key influential behaviour was policy makers prioritising student movement in decision making, suggesting policy-level change is essential for long-term impact. Many barriers were related to physical or social opportunities, suggesting environmental restructuring may be key to embedding PA into university education. There were also many reflective motivation influences, such as believing that PA is worthwhile to implement. While policy-level change is needed to catalyse some of the environmental changes needed, opportunities may exist to support students to increase movement during private study time, where fewer barriers were identified.