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The document, prepared by the CRUCH's Commission on University Coexistence and Mental Health, marks a milestone in the search for solutions to the challenges of coexistence and well-being within universities, opening a space for reflection and action. Download the full report HERE
During the event, held this Thursday, June 12, at the University of Chile, Rector Devés emphasized that “we need to have support strategies, putting the student at the center, beyond mere rhetoric. This means we have to get to know them, ask them who they are, and attend to their diversity, their unique stories, and the richness they bring to the university.”.
In a ceremony held this morning at the Central House of the University of Chile, the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) presented the report “University Wellbeing: Keys to Coexistence and Mental Health”, a document that arises as a response to the growing concern for mental health and the quality of coexistence in the country's university communities.
The report is the result of the collaborative work of the CRUCH Coexistence and Mental Health Commission, which for more than two years generated participatory instances to learn about the realities of the 30 institutions of the Council, with the collaboration of student organizations, university teams that work in these areas, and national and international experts.
During the presentation, the Rector of the University of Chile, Rosa Devés; Secretary General of CRUCH, Angélica Bosch; and the Presidents of the Commission, Rosa María Olave and Bertha Escobar; They referred to the relevance of the report and its contribution to both universities and public policy.
The Rector Devés, He expressed his gratitude for “this extraordinary work, carried out by a very committed team” and emphasized that “this report reinforces the idea that we must take care of our communities and that coexistence is key to mental health and well-being.”.
On the other hand, she mentioned the importance of focusing on students, stating that “since all universities began to focus on equity and inclusion, a shared institutional responsibility began to emerge: if we are going to deepen equity and inclusion, we have to have support strategies, Putting the student at the center, beyond mere rhetoric. That means we have to get to know them, ask them who they are, and attend to their diversity, their unique stories, and the richness they bring to the university. ”During this time, we have made progress on that path and prepared ourselves to work together as institutions,” the rector emphasized.
Along the same lines, Angélica Bosch maintained that “The presentation of this report is a concrete expression of CRUCH's commitment to contributing in a cohesive manner to improving the quality of university life and also to respond proactively to the challenges that higher education institutions face today, which undoubtedly require responses from public policy.” He also acknowledged the work of “all the people who have been part of this process: for their commitment, for the quality of the work done and, above all, for the generosity with which they put their experience at the service of a shared cause.”.
Finally, Bosch invited the attendees “to read the report, to disseminate it, and above all, to integrate it into the discussions that each university is promoting on this matter. This document is not an end point, but rather another step on a path that CRUCH has decided to follow with conviction and responsibility.”.
Meanwhile, the presidents of the Commission, Rosa María Olave -academic and Director of the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Program at Alberto Hurtado University-, and Bertha Escobar -Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Catholic University of Temuco-, referred to the main contents of the report: regulatory frameworks and bills; experiences in mental health and coexistence in universities; mental health models; conflict resolution models; foundations of the relationship between mental health and coexistence; and six critical issues and recommendations for each of them.
The presentation was attended by authorities and representatives of the CRUCH university communities, the Undersecretariat of Higher Education, and various organizations that work to improve coexistence and mental health.
Conversation panel
The presentation of the report was accompanied by a panel discussion in which the following participated: Sandra Gaete, President of the Commission of Academic Vice-Rectors of the CRUCH and Academic Vice-Rector of the Metropolitan Technological University; Dr. Vania Martínez, Director of the Center to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young People (IMHAY); Sofía Ávila, spokesperson for the Confech and Vice-President of the Student Federation of the Diego Portales University and nursing student; and Valeska Grau, Student Mediator of the Ombuds Office of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and member of the CRUCH Commission on University Coexistence and Mental Health.
The dialogue space “How do we move towards the well-being of our university communities” was moderated by the director of Student Welfare and Development at UCHILE, Pamela Díaz-Romero, and was conducive to delving deeper into the recommendations put forward in the report, as well as to address the main challenges to advance in policies and practices that guarantee healthy, inclusive and safe environments for all members of the university communities.
CRUCH Commission on Coexistence and Mental Health
The Commission was created in July 2022 in response to the concerns of the full assembly of university presidents regarding the well-being and care of university communities. It is composed of representatives from the following universities: University of Chile, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, University of Concepción, University of Santiago, Austral University of Chile, Catholic University of the North, University of La Serena, University of La Frontera, University of Magallanes, University of Talca, Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences, University of Playa Ancha, Technological University of La Laguna, University of Tehuantepec, University of La Laguna, University of Tehuantepec, University of La Laguna, and University of the Andes.
From its inception, the Commission had the support and leadership of the Rector of the University of Chile, Rosa Devés; the Rector of the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences, Elisa Araya; and the former Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Ignacio Sánchez.
The report “University Well-being: Keys to Coexistence and Mental Health” is freely accessible and available in digital format through the CRUCH website. Download HERE
Text: CRUCH Communications
Collaboration: University of Chile Press
Photographs: Courtesy of the University of Chile
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