Commission on University Coexistence and Mental Health
The inauguration, which will take place in a hybrid format on Tuesday, January 9th at the UC Main Building, will feature presentations by Alfredo Zamudio, director of the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue mission in Chile, and Leticia García Villaluenga, director of the Master's Program in Mediation at the Complutense University of Madrid. CNN journalist Paloma Ávila will moderate the discussion.
The event, organized by the University Coexistence and Mental Health Commission of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities, will feature 13 workshops, three in person and 10 online, and will run until January 11.
Under the axes of dialogue and transformation of conflicts in community, this January 9, 10 and 11 the “First CRUCH Training Days on University Coexistence and Mental Health: Dialogue and transformation of conflicts in community” will be held, which have the purpose of reflecting and raising awareness about the relevance of university coexistence for the prevention and promotion of mental health in higher education.
The program of the conference, organized by the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) through its Commission on University Coexistence and Mental Health, will be held in person, at the Central House of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (UC), and online.
The CRUCH's Commission on University Coexistence and Mental Health is headed by the rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Ignacio Sánchez; and the rectors of the University of Chile, Rosa Devés; and the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences (UMCE), Elisa Araya. It is also chaired by two academics: Rosa María Olave, from Alberto Hurtado University (UAH), and Bertha Escobar, from the Catholic University of Temuco (UCT).
The sessions are open to students, academics and staff of university communities.
Inaugural session
On the morning of Tuesday, January 9, there will be two panel discussions, which will take place at UC and will be broadcast simultaneously on the UC YouTube channel.
The first panel will address some international experiences regarding the contributions of dialogue to conflict transformation processes; the relationship between conflicts in the university setting and social conflicts; the current situation of conflict in universities; as well as harmonious coexistence and conflict management.
This event will feature the participation of Alfredo Zamudio, director of the Chile mission of the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue in Norway; Leticia García Villaluenga, director of the Master's Program in Mediation at the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain; Ignacio Sánchez, rector of the Catholic University of Chile; and Elisa Araya, rector of the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences (UMCE). The conversation will be moderated by journalist Paloma Ávila, deputy director of Content Development at CNN Chile and host of the program "Sanamente.".
The following panel will analyze conflict in Chile and its impact on social bonds and cohesion; discuss the concept of mental health; address aspects related to personal and institutional trust and mistrust; and explore elements that should be considered in a university policy on mental health and coexistence. Participants in this panel will include María Luisa Méndez, director of the Center for the Study of Conflict and Social Cohesion (COES), and Roberto Aceituno, professor at the University of Chile.
Workshops and other activities
Furthermore, these sessions will offer 13 workshops on various topics: skills for dialogue, introduction to psychological first aid in university contexts, development of skills in the classroom, introduction to tools for crisis intervention, strategies for addressing conflicts, and tools for the implementation of restorative practices in the university environment.
It should be noted that they will be facilitated by academics and experts in the different areas, that they will take place in the afternoons, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and that each one will have a maximum capacity of 30 people.
The first day will feature three in-person workshops at the UC Extension Center (Alameda 390): Skills for Dialogue; Psychological First Aid in a University Context; and Developing Emotional Competencies in the Classroom. Simultaneously, two student initiatives related to university life and mental health will be presented: Coffee Talk, from the Catholic University of Temuco (UCT); and Ludoteca UDP, from Diego Portales University (UDP).
Meanwhile, on Wednesday the 10th and Thursday the 11th in the afternoon, the workshops, which will be held online, are: Tools to Face Emotional Crises, Tools for the Implementation of Restorative Practices in the University Environment, Strategies for Addressing Conflicts, Introduction to Psychological First Aid, University Life: Socio-emotional Competencies for Healthy Coexistence and Emotional First Aid (EFA) in the University Context.
The closing of the first sessions will also be online, on Thursday, January 11 at 5:00 p.m., and will feature the participation of both presidents of the CRUCH University Coexistence and Mental Health Commission, Rosa María Olave and Bertha Escobar, as well as reflections from international guest Katia Ornelas, who has extensive experience in the design and facilitation of peacebuilding and restorative justice processes in university contexts, both in Mexico and in Europe.
Check the program details in the following link and Register HERE to participate.
Text: CRUCH Communications.
Spanish 
English