Virtual Place
Date
Partners
Koç University , University of Zagreb , University of Deusto
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the lives of young adults, including students. Accumulating evidence shows that the quality of life and mental health of many students was and remains to be strongly affected by the pandemic. Typically, young adults experience an active and often exciting phase of life during their studies. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, this experience is replaced by restrictions and social isolation. Additionally, students may have lost their jobs or may have been forced to leave their accommodations due to financial reasons. All of this may increase insecurities and worries about health and the future, and may decrease the general quality of life and mental well-being of students. One-and-half years after the start of the pandemic, students may have developed different ways to cope with the current situation.
180 including: students, PhD students, academic staff and administrative staff
On 9th of December students, scholars and staff members came together to learn and discuss how the pandemic has affected the mental health situation of students at different UNIC universities. The seminar was moderated and facilitated by Kathrin Schopf and Silvia Schneider, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr University Bochum.
The second part of the seminar was dedicated to students’ perspectives. A mentimeter questionary collected and summarized opinions and experiences of attended students from the audience.
Patricija Biškup and Dario Topić, University of Zagreb, Ivan San Atilano Campillo and Laura Gómez González, University of Deusto and Yazgi Yilmaz, Ruhr University Bochum, all students at UNIC universities, presented some main problems as well as solutions from their point of view. They felt that students and young people generally were not heard equally to other groups in the society, which gave them the feeling that their worries – including the ones related to mental health – were not taken seriously. But also some positive sides of the pandemic – more time for the family and studying – were mentioned. The “Sense of Belonging” was identified as a very important source of good mental health. Even in an unclear situation of changing presence and online phases, it is important that universities continue to build spaces and ways to support this sense of belonging under changing conditions.
UNIC CityLabs
Health & Wellbeing
Panel discussion
English
