About
The IAU SDG 3 Cluster, spearheaded by the eHealth Center at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) in collaboration with the International Association of Universities (IAU), organized two webinars titled "Addressing Mental Health and Wellbeing in Universities" on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10th. These webinars, conducted in English and Spanish,focus on how universities are addressing the mental health and well-being of their staff and students.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, particularly among young people. This reality has made the effective identification of mental health challenges and the creation of a supportive environment for emotional well-being a fundamental priority for universities. In this context, the IAU SDG3 Cluster is exploring the interrelationship between the current environment, mental health, advancements in e-health, and the skills needed to strengthen mental health in today’s challenging context.
The webinars, scheduled for October 1st and 3rd, will delve into how universities are supporting the mental health and well-being of their staff and students. Discussions will cover innovations, best practices, current challenges, and future plans in this area.
Speakers
October 1st session at 10:00 a.m. (CEST), in English. - Recording will be available here
- Opening statements: Pam Fredman, Board Member and former President of the International Association of Universities.
- Speakers: Steve Lee, Mental Health and Wellbeing Team Manager at Western Sydney University; Ellen Brackenreg, Executive Director of Equity, Diversity, Safety, and Wellbeing at Western Sydney University; Galuh Suryandari, PhD candidate in Medical Education at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia; Joy Louise Gumikiriza-Onoria, Lecturer, Clinical Psychologist, and PhD fellow at the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda.
- Closing statements: Marta Aymerich, Director of the UOC’s e-Health Center.
- Moderation: Liv Raphael, IAU SDG3 Cluster Lead at the UOC.
Note: To access presentations shared by speakers, please click on the corresponding speaker's name above.
October 3rd session at 5:00 p.m. (CEST), in Spanish. - Recording available here
- Opening statements: Isabel Toman, Global SDG Cluster Lead at the International Association of Universities.
- Speakers: Alba Pérez González, Professor at UOC and Researcher at the Universidad de Barcelona; Gustavo Pacheco López, Vice President for Outreach and Internationalisation at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana de México (UAM); and Oscar Mauricio Castaño Ramírez, Psychiatrist at the Department of Mental Health and Human Behavior, Universidad de Caldas.
- Closing Statements: Manel Jimenez, the Vice Rector of Community, Alliances and Society at UOC.
- Moderation: Marta Aymerich, Director of the e-Health Center at the UOC.
Recordings
You are invited to join the session in English, the session in Spanish, or, for a comprehensive experience, both. Please register at the following links: