An app on mental health and well-being, welcome activities for new students, a digital integration guide, the celebration of Mental Health Day, a cinema cycle and online sessions to share volunteering experiences... In total, the plan presented by NOVA and approved for funding by the General Directorate of Higher Education includes more than 70 actions and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026.
"The university is a space for learning, development and innovation, which poses particular challenges for students and the entire academic community. We expand minds and horizons, but we also encounter the limits and potential of each individual. At the University, we are building the future, and mental health and well-being play an essential role in this educational and innovative journey. Therefore, the Mental Health Promotion Programme in Higher Education will not only strengthen NOVA's existing initiatives in this area, but will also create new ones, as well as strategies to address emerging challenges and ensure that we are an inclusive university," emphasises Cláudio M. Soares, NOVA's Pro-Rector for Health, who, together with Olga Cunha from NOVA FCSH's Office of Personal Development and Social Inclusion, is responsible for the programme.
Its main objectives are the integration, collaboration and inclusion of students throughout the NOVA academic community, as well as to create a healthy, engaging, stimulating and supportive school environment that promotes the holistic development of students throughout their academic careers.
In addition to investing in new formats, the programme will also support existing projects of the university welfare services (SASNOVA), and also at schools as NOVA FCT, Nova SBE, NOVA Medical School and NOVA FCSH.