Commission on University Coexistence and Mental Health
Within the framework of the “1st Seminar on University Coexistence: Mental Health, Gender and Community”, rectors from five advisory commissions of the CRUCH, addressed the main concerns and challenges surrounding mental health and coexistence in the university environment, as well as the articulation of these issues with the work of other CRUCH commissions and the elements to consider for the development of a national policy.
On this occasion, concerns were raised about the fact that these problems affect all levels of the university community, and the need for cultural changes, regulatory updates, and the training of global citizens capable of facing diverse challenges was highlighted.
With a call for collaboration and deep reflection, the top authorities of the University of Chile (UChile), Rosa Devés; the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences (UMCE), Elisa Araya; the University of Concepción (UdeC), Carlos Saavedra; the University of O'Higgins (UOH), Fernanda Kri; and the Alberto Hurtado University (UAH), Eduardo Silva, participated in the inter-commission panel of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), “Frameworks for addressing and understanding University Coexistence”.
The panel was developed within the framework of the “1st University Coexistence Seminar: Mental Health, Gender and Community”, which took place from October 11 to 13 and was organized by UAH, UChile, the Diego Portales University and the Metropolitan Technological University, with the sponsorship of CRUCH.
The event was moderated by the Secretary General of CRUCH, Angélica Bosch, and by the president of the CRUCH University Coexistence Subcommittee, Rosa María Olave, who posed questions to the panelists in their role as rectors and as those in charge of the CRUCH advisory commissions on University Coexistence and Mental Health, Academic Vice-Rectors, Community Engagement and Gender Equality.
“We value the opportunity to have this inter-committee panel of the Council of Rectors (…) it is a great opportunity to discuss these issues of university life in its various dimensions. It is a very important space to clarify elements for university policies and also for public policy,” said Angélica Bosch.
The rector of the Alberto Hurtado University, host university for the first day of the seminar, while expressing his satisfaction with the organization of the meeting, stated that "it is key to identify the most recurring problems, share them, review the diagnoses, outline best practices and share them to collaborate.".
Main concerns and challenges
One concern shared by the university presidents is that mental health and social issues affect all levels of the university community, making it essential to address them at an institutional level. They also agreed that the pandemic had a negative impact.
According to Rosa Devés, rector of the University of Chile and head of the CRUCH's Commission on Coexistence and Mental Health, “while the problem worsened and became more visible with the pandemic, especially among young people and women, it is pre-existing (…). Today, at least we have made progress in recognizing the problem, but that means it is deep-rooted and, therefore, requires an interdisciplinary approach, because it is closely linked to the social, political, and cultural conditions in which it is embedded.”,
Along the same lines, the rector of UMCE, Elisa Araya, who also accompanies the Commission, addressed the challenge that the return to in-person learning has posed in the academic sphere and how university life has been affected. “This is a cross-cutting problem, affecting the entire community. We human beings are suffering because our foundations have been shaken; we no longer have any of the certainties we had at the beginning of the last century,” she noted, emphasizing the importance of a strong university community, the role of empathy in this process, and the need for educators to be willing to acknowledge and listen to others.
For his part, the Rector of the University of Concepción (UdeC), Carlos Saavedra, who is part of the CRUCH's Community Engagement Commission, highlighted the importance of peaceful and democratic coexistence in the current global context and emphasized the need to transform policies and regulations at the institutional and national levels. From his perspective, it is necessary "to develop university coexistence policies in our country that allow us to regulate relationships within our institutions, provide care and support to those who need it, and also know how to balance the duties and rights of individuals.".
On this point, the rector of the UAH, Eduardo Silva, who is part of the CRUCH Academic Vice-Rectors Commission, agreed with Rector Saavedra and emphasized the need to adapt curricula and promote effective coexistence, acknowledging that some challenges exceed the capacities of institutions and require innovative and collaborative approaches. “We have to take responsibility to the extent possible, to change what we do in the classroom. We know there are new ways of learning, and we are generating the resources,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the rector of the University of O'Higgins (UOH), Fernanda Kri, who is part of the Gender Equality Commission, also spoke about adapting curricula to address these issues more comprehensively, with a focus on prevention. “I think we all have the diagnosis; the question is, how can we address this within the university? I think there are things we are trying to do, but we need to keep moving forward, for example, by reviewing our curricula to ensure they incorporate a mainstreaming of the gender perspective and mental health,” she said.
Everyone's task
The rectors on the panel highlighted that university coexistence and mental health are cross-cutting issues, which are also addressed by other CRUCH commissions such as those of Academic Vice-Rectors, Community Engagement and Gender Equality.
“I want to acknowledge the fact that we, these different committees, are here together to reflect on and coordinate our work, especially as a whole, for the sake of coexistence (…) the fact that we are diverse institutions enriches the work. We have much to learn from each other and we must be agents of transformation, as must the institutions. This is not something done about or for others, but with others,” Rector Devés stated.
For her part, Rector Kri emphasized the role of gender equality in fostering a better coexistence, noting that it is a “slow” but “essential” process that can generate frustration among women and LGBTQ+ individuals, who often have to fight for their rights. “It is fundamental to continue along this path, training faculty to internalize the gender perspective and avoid stereotypes,” as well as “educating about the proper use of social media and having protection and reporting mechanisms in place to ensure the safety of the university community,” she stated.
Speaking on behalf of the Academic Vice-Rectors' Commission, Rector Silva noted that, regarding mental health, it is crucial to find a balance between maintaining high academic standards and not overburdening students, promoting a positive classroom environment that facilitates learning. "If I create a positive environment, learning is facilitated and the workload becomes more manageable. The focus is on the student, because learning, the heart of learning, is not the teacher, it is the student," he stated.
Meanwhile, Rector Saavedra emphasized the need to train professionals prepared to address multidimensional challenges at the local, national, and global levels, promoting global citizenship. To meet these challenges, he proposed a shift from an individualistic to a sociological, community-based, and institutional approach to reflecting on and addressing coexistence, which includes considering the conflicts that each university may experience within its specific context.
Towards a policy of coexistence
Regarding the elements that should be considered when developing a policy on university coexistence and mental health, the rectors raised the need for a regulatory framework and a national policy.
Rector Saavedra stated that it is necessary “to create regulations that govern university life (…), which must be qualified, in the sense of defining its purposes, so that it is inclusive, democratic, peaceful, and promotes peace, democracy, and inclusion within our institutions. These common minimum standards for coexistence must be established within the national university system.”.
For her part, Rector Devés emphasized the importance of a sense of community and how institutions should set an example of cooperation and collaboration. “We must recognize our differences and value them as institutions (…) and leverage them to develop diverse solutions that enrich us,” she noted, adding that key elements for a policy should include conducting situated research, networking among the various stakeholders in the community, and providing training in mental health care.
Likewise, Rector Araya emphasized that university life and mental health must be "placed at the center of education—these socio-affective, cognitive, and dialogue skills, the ability to know oneself, and to understand how emotions are expressed. I believe this is no longer just a cross-cutting theme, but rather a central part of education.".
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