The HEARTS project has officially launched its latest publication in the scope of its Work Package 2 (WP2), which CIS-Iscte is responsible for. The HEARTS Foundation Bricks Report: Mental Health Needs Assessment of Five European Higher Education Institutions addresses the urgent mental health crisis in higher education, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, rising global tensions, backlash against social minorities, increasing stress and inadequate support systems. Through a comprehensive needs assessment across five universities in Barcelona, Lisbon, Turin, Cagliari, and Malta, using service mapping, surveys and interviews, the report provides an interdisciplinary and intercultural perspective on mental health challenges today.
You can now download it for free at www.heartsproject.eu/results.
The findings highlight the crucial need to enhance belonging and connectedness, revealing gaps in services, access barriers, and insufficient support for diverse groups. The report advocates adopting preventative strategies to help universities develop more effective and responsive mental health frameworks.
The HEARTS Higher Education Action Response for Trauma Support (Project Number: 2023-1-ES01-KA220-HED-000158841) project is an Erasmus+ initiative that focuses on co-designing and piloting innovative strategies for mental health promotion in higher education, particularly targeting trauma prevention and support. Through methodologies rooted in the Okanagan Charter and Core Competencies for Health Promotion - encompassing culturally sensitive cognitive-behavioral therapy, community theater, and storytelling - it addresses critical challenges faced by university communities. These challenges include high youth suicide rates, pandemic-related trauma, forced displacements, gender violence, and the impacts of geopolitical crises like the Ukraine war. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among universities in Barcelona, Lisbon, Turin, Cagliari, and Malta, HEARTS aims to create inclusive, culturally responsive environments that enhance equity and resilience. The project’s primary goals include enhancing trauma support, improving access for marginalized groups, promoting inclusive learning, and empowering higher education institutions with resources for mental health awareness and prevention.
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