The number of students reporting symptoms of burnout or fearing a loss of control over their studies has risen sharply since the beginning of the pandemic. The topic itself is admittedly not new and has already gained a lot of attention at both universities in the years before.
In the second Montgelas Workshop, Dr. Mirjam Uchronski and Marein Bannert from the coaching team of the TUM Center for Study and Teaching (CST) presented the TUM4Mind project and explained how the offering has changed since 2018, not least due to the switch to digital formats. The Learning Services of Aalto University also presented their concept: There, the Starting Point of Wellbeing offers support with drop-in counseling services, co-studying sessions and courses on stress reduction.
Communication as a success factor
In the group discussions it became clear how important it is to successfully communicate the offers and to make students aware at an early stage of how they can get help when problems begin. This is not always easy, given the variety of different communication channels among students, even though many now find their way to the service points and to the events.
The need for different services has also changed during the pandemic phases. Whereas in the beginning it was primarily opportunities for exchange in a confident setting, now it is primarily lectures and information events that are in demand, according to Marein Bannert from the TUM CST. Online formats have proven their worth, not least because of their greater reach. But often it also needs the personal conversation with eye contact, especially in crisis situations, as participants noted.
Great interest in international exchange
The second Montgelas Workshop showed once again that the Maximilian Graf Montgelas Program, which was launched in 2021, is an ideal addition to the international continuing education portfolio. The participants were clearly pleased with the opportunity to exchange ideas on this globally important topic. This already became clear from the large number of registrations. For many, the virtual workshop, which was held in cooperation with TUM horizons, was just the beginning. They want to deepen the conversation, learn from each other and check where they can collaborate occasionally.
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