IRUAS Conference on Student Wellbeing and Mental Health: Programme and Registration

Find the programme of this year's conference and the registration link in the section opposite. Please state your priorities when registering for the workshops. You can attend one workshop.     

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place of event

Inseliquai 12B
6005 Luzern
Schweiz

Logo IRUAS 2024

The deadline for registration is 31 August 2024. Please note that the number of participants is limited.

Entrance fee CHF 195.-

Programme Details

Keynote Speech: "Mental Fitness for Students, Teachers and Future Leaders - What Skills are Needed?", Diego Hangartner (Pharm.D. / PCC)

Language: English

We live and work in an environment that, over the years, has seemingly become more stressful, more demanding, people are much more distracted, good relationships are more difficult to maintain, and where mental challenges such as loneliness are more prevalent. This is not only a personal experience, but the WHO and Swiss BAG health statistics corroborate these observations. What are the root causes? Is there anything we could do? Or are we just at the mercy of the general direction that we as a species are going?

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In his presentation, Diego Hangartner will address these questions from several perspectives: neuro-scientific insights will be paired with understandings and tools stemming from clinical science, psychology, performance science, and management in order to address these serious and deleterious issues. Over the last ten years, research has provided ample evidence that wellbeing, resilience, good relationships and healthy minds are skills rather than given character traits. Accordingly, with the proper methods, they can be developed.

Based on these findings, Diego Hangartner will offer some inputs of clear and proven practices that will support individuals and communities to improve their well-being, resilience, relationships and peak-performances - for students, teachers and future leaders.

About Diego Hangartner: Diego has dedicated over forty years to external scientific research and internal meditative exploration of the mind and consciousness. He started as a pharmacologist specializing in psychopharmacology and addiction, always interested in what constitutes a healthy mind and how to cultivate it. He lived over 13 years in India, studying with yogis and masters of mind training, and for over 20 years curated the dialogues between Science and Buddhism (Mind and Life dialogues) with the Dalai Lama resulting in thousands of research papers.

Today, Diego works at the intersection of Neuroscience, Coaching, Mind Training and Practice of Meditation, helping individuals and teams overcome confusion, lack of clarity and reigniting their potential and thriving lives.

Panel Discussion: "Challenges for International Students: Inclusion und Integration"

Language: English

Jillaine Farrar (Head Exchanges HSLU-W), Dominik Fasnacht (Board Member Luna Nightline), Laura Jurkovich (International Student HSLU-W), Sylvan McGowan (International Student HSLU-DFK), Sofia Mella (International Student HSLU-W), Giuliana Breu (Moderation)

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What are the challenges international students face during their studies in Switzerland? What fears accompany them in everyday life and what support would they like from the universities and their fellow students? Together with international students from HSLU, we will answer these questions and give an insight into their everyday life as students far away from home.

Keynote Speech: "Health of International Students at Swiss Higher Educations Institutions: How are they doing?" Yassin Boughaba (Federal Statistical Office)

Language: English

In Switzerland, 14% of students enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s programmes are international students (i.e., born abroad, with higher education entrance qualification). These students, who typically come to Switzerland for the purpose of studying, find themselves in an unusual situation in that they study far from home and away from their family’s direct support. This can affect not only their accommodation and living conditions, but also their social life and their ability to finance their studies. This raises the question of how this unusual situation impacts the health of international students and to what extent the latter is related to difficulties in studies. 

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Using data from the federal 2020 Survey on the Social and Economic Conditions of Student Life (SSEE), Yassin Boughaba shares insights into this subgroup of students in Switzerland and provides an analysis of their health and reported problems while studying. This group is then compared with domestic students along a set of indicators (self-reported health, long-lasting health problems, depression, etc.). This presentation will highlight the specific challenges faced by international students and what kinds of support and way out are available to them.

About the SSEE Team at the Federal Statistical Office: The members of the SSEE Team of the Federal Statistical Office are Véronique Meffre (head of group), Philipp Fischer (project leader) and Yassin Boughaba (scientific collaborator). They are responsible for the Survey on the Social and Economic Conditions of Student Life (SSEE), which is conducted at four-year intervals and covers many aspects of the lives of BA/BSc and MA/MSc students (accommodation, study conditions, paid jobs, mobility, etc.). The SSEE Team is also a contributor to the EUROSTUDENT project.

Input: State of the Art on Student Wellbeing and Mental Health: Gordon Millar (Co-Head of Major, MSc Business Administration, HSLU), Barbara Stettler (Member of International Office, HSLU)

Language: English 

This presentation is intended to give a brief overview of international (i.e. non-Swiss) research and conference discussions on student wellbeing and mental health since the pandemic. It will also briefly explain suggestions for action at a time of limited, if not shrinking resources in higher education. The input given should provide a basis for the workshops and sessions to be held during the rest of the day.

Workshop 1: "Navigating Mental Health Challenges Among International Students"

Language: English 

Anne-Marie Jäger-Stevenson (Head of International Office), Nicole Massüger-McLauchlan (International Student Advisor), University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons

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International students face unique mental health challenges as they adjust to new cultures, languages and academic environments. This workshop is designed to equip international office staff with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively support the mental health and wellbeing of international students. Through inputs and interactive discussions, participants will enhance their ability to effectively support students in need. 

Workshop objectives:

  • Gain an insight into the most common mental health issues experienced by international students, including cultural adjustment stress, homesickness, academic pressure and social isolation.
  • Explore the pivotal role of international office staff in fostering a supportive environment for international students.
  • Share and learn from best practice examples, highlighting successful approaches to promoting mental health and wellbeing among international student populations.
  • Discover valuable resources and tools for international office staff to utilize in their day-to-day interactions with international students.
  • Collaboratively develop recommendations for institutions on how to best support international students.

Workshop 2: "Ressource-oriented Approach to Students Struggling with Mental Health Problems"

Language: German

Sibylle Matter (Psychological Campus Centre Campus Luzern)

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When dealing with students who are struggling with moderate or severe mental health issues, university staff, supervisors and lecturers often face multiple challenges and insecurities. This workshop is dedicated to addressing these challenges; it provides information on mental health, resource-oriented relationship building and consultation skills for work with students with poor mental health. A resource-oriented approach includes being mindful of one’s own resources. Participants will learn about boundary-setting and self-care.

Please note: limited to 15 participants

Workshop 3: "Fostering Intercultural Skills in the Workplace with Positive Psychology"

Language: German

Claudia Buschor Schaub (Lecturer in Positive Psychology), Manuel Birrer (Student BSc Business Psychology), Lucerne School of Business

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Intercultural skills are crucially important for universities with a global orientation. Students attending a semester abroad are exposed to a host of new experiences and challenges. This raises the question of how university staff, supervisors and lecturers can best support these students. The goal of this workshop is to use video clips and the sharing of experiences to identify positive behavioural patterns, and to discuss ways of improving the wellbeing and mental stability of exchange students.

Workshop 4: “Strengthening Student Mental Health at Universities of Applied Sciences”

Language: English

Annie Oulevey Bachmann (PhD, Full professor UAS, Head of the LAB Prevention and Community Health Promotion), Myriam Guzman Villegas-Frei (MScI, Lecturer), HES-SO Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse Occidental

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Using a salutogenic approach, a longitudinal study examined the resources reported in the literature as being susceptible to helping students to maintain good mental health despite their exposure to risk factors during their studies.

Once the results of this study have been presented, after a short introduction, we will invite participants to share existing practices in their institutions and their insights on how to strengthen the mental health of students in higher education during a World Café. Different topics will be addressed to encourage the exchange and dissemination of knowledge and experience among participants. A summary of the discussions will be made available to the latter.

Workshop 5: “A Way of Belonging to a University of Applied Sciences”

Language: English

Maikel Boelema (Student Support Center), Sven Nijhuis (Study Skills Officer), Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Holland

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During this workshop Saxion UAS will take you through how they address student wellbeing and how they support students. You will receive more information about who Saxion is, what they do in terms of onboarding international students and how they have integrated student wellbeing into the organization.

Content:

  • Introduction to Saxion
  • Onboarding at Saxion
  • Being well at student wellbeing

Interactive Part:

  • Sticky notes session (after onboarding part of workshop)
    a. What do you do concerning the onboarding of international students?
    b. What is going well, can be improved or should be added to the onboarding?
  • Mentimeter quiz about student wellbeing
    a. Different questions and statements regarding the wellbeing of students
  • Time for questions/discussion