Smart and Well: encouraging conversations about mental health in academiaIt is no secret that universities are high-pressure environments, where students are under constant stress to achieve top grades, secure internships and keep up with coursework. This pressure is only amplified when you are looking to move into academia and pursue a career in research. The demands of academia can be immense: from stressful deadlines, the expectation to constantly achieve in order to maintain the place in the field, and the need to keep up with an ever-changing environment. With contracts often lasting only a few years and having to move around frequently to find work it can become difficult to plan for the future or maintain personal and professional relationships. With all this in mind, it is no surprise that mental health issues are on the rise. Academia can be rewarding in many ways and while the causes of mental health issues are complex and varied, for many academics, the only way to cope with the constant pressure is to sacrifice their personal well-being. The impact of mental health issues on academics should not, therefore, be underestimated. This is something that needs to be addressed more openly in universities, as it can have repercussions even on the most resilient individuals. Smart and Well is an initiative of a group of students and researchers from different institutions in Berlin aiming to increase awareness about mental health in academia. The mission of the project is set to foster well-being and prevent distress in students and early career researchers by providing information on, creating awareness for, and destigmatising the topic of mental health. The team is currently working on an interview series with experts in different mental health-related fields such as psychology, healthcare, coaching, and others. Based on surveys conducted by some of the group members, the conversations with experts will address topics that are currently prevalent among academics based in Germany. Some topics that will be covered are for instance academic-related stress management, depression and anxiety among students and early career researchers, the available support provided by healthcare institutions in Germany and many more. All this is a step further towards encouraging open conversations about mental health in academia, enforcing appropriate work/life balance, and providing adequate support for students and researchers when needed. With proper awareness, care and knowledge that help is available, academics should be able to reach their full potential without sacrificing their well-being.The Smart and Well initiative has been kindly encouraged by Scholar Minds, the Institute of Psychology of the Humboldt University and the Hochschulisches Gesundheitsmanagement of the Humboldt University. The project would not have been able to reach its extent without the great support of the funding program for digital media in research, teaching, and studies “Designing hybrid learning 2022” developed by the Media Commission of the Academic Senate of the Humboldt University. Thanks to the support of this program, it has been possible to acquire professional recording equipment and hire a student assistant to take care of the technical setup, do research, and facilitate communication with the experts.The interviews will be released later this year in a podcast format which will be available for free on many well-known streaming platforms. The podcast will be useful for but not limited to anyone studying and pursuing an academic degree in Germany. More updates about the project will be available soon.If you have in mind a specific topic that you would like to hear or maybe talk about on the podcast, you are more than welcome to get in touch by emailing the Smart and Well team at smartwell.hgm@hu-berlin.de.
