Indore, August 31: A two-day capacity-building workshop on positive mental health, resilience and student well-being concluded at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore, with experts and education professionals discussing ways to create healthier and more supportive higher education campuses.
The workshop, titled “Samvardhan: From Academic Excellence to Sustainable Well-Being,” was organised by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education in collaboration with IIT Indore.Addressing the concluding session, IIT Indore Director Dr. Suhas S. Joshi stressed the need for a collective institutional approach towards strengthening student welfare.
He said the lessons and practices discussed during the workshop should be incorporated into long-term institutional systems and policies.The programme brought together heads of institutions, faculty members, student-affairs professionals, counsellors, hostel wardens, mental health specialists and students.
Participants exchanged experiences and explored practical approaches for improving support systems within higher education institutions. Sessions during the two-day programme covered a range of issues, including mental health, psychosocial challenges, nutrition, healthy lifestyles, Indian Knowledge Systems, learning disabilities and student support mechanisms.
The first day focused on understanding the psychosocial environment of campuses, developing effective institutional policies, identifying problems at an early stage, strengthening social connections and promoting peer guidance based on life skills.
The second day included practical discussions on recognising warning signs, supporting students with specific learning difficulties, preventing substance abuse and creating healthier hostel and residential environments.
Participants also examined the role of mentoring and guidance networks in supporting students.The workshop concluded with participating institutions working on well-being indicators, recommendations and action plans that could be adapted to their respective campuses.
The programme was conducted under the Teacher Connect Programme of the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme (MMTTP) for the central and western regions.
A total of 94 participants representing 21 higher education institutions from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh attended the workshop.
The initiative underlines the growing emphasis on integrating mental health, resilience and holistic well-being into higher education, alongside academic development.
