Wednesday Seminar* at IGC
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156, Oeiras, Portugal
Video below !
Abstract
Mental health issues present a significant challenge in the EU. A review across different occupational groups suggests that academics together with teachers are among the groups with the highest levels of common mental health issues, with an estimated prevalence of 37% compared to 19% in the general population. Evidence is increasing that academia is facing a mental health crisis. Some institutes have started to respond with activities addressing researchers' well-being, but there is limited evidence on what constitutes effective practice to address those challenges in academia and capacities are limited to share best practices across the European research community. There is evidence from other sectors regarding mental health in the workplace, however best practice needs to be understood in the context of the unique work environment in which researchers are operating. How can we a) characterize and improve researchers' well-being and mental health? b) measure progress and outcomes across and within this unique workforce? c) build communities of practice for shared learning?
To address this challenge, the ReMO COST Action works on three main objectives:
Building an Evidence Hub - a network of academics, researcher managers, practitioners, policy makers, consultants - to develop and implement a systematic evaluation of the current mental health situation in the academic sector by country, organizational and individual levels.
Setting up a Training and Dialogue Network - a platform for researchers, practitioners and policymakers alike - to build awareness, engage in dialogue and disseminate strategies around mental health and performance issues in academia.
Developing institutional policy and best practice guidelines detailing aspects around assessment, evaluation, intervention and prevention approaches to ensure lasting, impactful institutional policies.
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