Video lesson: How to determine the framework for developing guidelines for the responsible use of digital technologies?

Interview: Katja Popović Welcome! In this video lesson, we will present the framework and elements of guidelines for promoting the well-being of students and staff at higher education institutions. Upon completion of this video lesson, participants will be able to: identify key elements of the framework of guidelines for promoting student and staff well-being, explain the purpose and importance of adopting comprehensive well-being guidelines at the university level. A recognized and comprehensive framework for developing guidelines is The Stepchange: mentally healthy universities framework, developed in the UK with the aim of being used by all higher education institutions focused on ensuring the well-being of staff and students. The framework is designed to serve the development of strategies and strategic guidelines. It is sharable among all stakeholders, adaptable to different contexts and needs, aligned with best practices, and evolves in accordance with new insights and challenges. It contains four core domains: Learning and Teaching, Support, Work, and Life. It emphasizes the integration of well-being into the academic experience, the availability of support, the importance of employee well-being, and creating a healthy environment. Such a comprehensive structure allows universities to create their own guidelines and to approach the promotion of mental health and well-being of the entire academic community in a holistic way. The first domain is Learning and Teaching. The way we learn and teach can have a positive, but also a negative impact on an individual's well-being. Within the curriculum and pedagogy, it is necessary to rethink the design and implementation of the curriculum, teaching, and learning to achieve well-being alongside academic progress. It is important to develop collaborative, safe, and supportive environments that should positively affect mental health. It is of utmost importance to support students in developing the skills needed for success in everyday life, so they have the necessary self-confidence and belief in their own abilities. The way we learn and teach has a profound impact on our well-being. When learning methods are flexible and adapted to individual needs, stress is reduced, and the sense of competence and satisfaction increases. Likewise, teaching that encourages active participation, critical thinking, and collaboration not only improves the understanding of the material but also strengthens self-confidence, develops social skills, and creates a positive and stimulating environment for all involved. On the other hand, exclusively passive and level-inappropriate approaches can lead to overload, demotivation, and negatively affect mental health. Through appropriate education and development, it is necessary to strengthen the role of academic staff in ensuring the well-being and mental health of students. Assessment should be such that it encourages learning and allows for evaluation without unnecessary stress. For students to successfully study and complete their internships, it is important to ensure support for their well-being and a uniform approach across the entire university. The second domain is Support for students and employees. According to research, there is an exceptionally large increase in the need for support for students and employees in higher education. Mental health support services can include students and staff and may include counseling, mental health teams, digital interventions, helplines, and out-of-hours support. Support services must be part of the strategy of higher education institutions for well-being and mental health. This includes providing support for harassment and violence, mental health crises, suicidal behavior crises, to support in crises related to learning, results, stress, housing, finances, and more. Such support instruments should provide safe and effective interventions that are regularly checked for safety, quality, and effectiveness. The third domain is Work, and it refers to the teachers and staff of the university. Good mental health is key to staff engagement, productivity, and creativity. A whole-university approach connects the mental health and well-being of staff and students. Within this component, three areas stand out: Staff Mental Health, Staff Supporting Students, and Resources. In the area of Staff Mental Health, the following activities are recommended: develop and implement a strategy that aligns the mental health of staff and students, promote mentally healthy workplaces, include mental health in performance appraisal systems, advocate for open conversations, implement effective well-being interventions, train team leaders and research mentors to promote mental health, ensure easy access to support. Also, staff education on recognizing mental health difficulties and on appropriate responses must be part of a broader framework that defines roles, boundaries, and available support. Education should support the development of aware and compassionate communities striving to improve well-being and mental health. Building mentally healthy higher education institutions also implies ensuring resources for the implementation of guidelines. The fourth domain is the Life of students and staff of higher education institutions. The places where we live, work, and spend time should help us preserve our well-being and feel good. Higher education institutions should be made into a healthy environment. Leadership should, through its strategies, guidelines, and resource allocations, enable the achievement of goals related to the well-being of employees and students. It is important to encourage healthy behavior, physical activity, healthy eating, and sleep, and to eliminate unhealthy behavior such as alcohol and drug abuse. It is crucial to foster a healthy and inclusive culture and environment that encourages inclusion and diversity and actively opposes violence, harassment, and marginalization. With the intent of establishing a healthy environment, it is necessary to design work, educational, and living spaces that promote good mental health, encourage access to nature, and reduce physical risks. Establishing a healthy community at the higher education institution is also one of the important goals in partnership with student councils and associations to actively support the social integration of students, support academic success, and reduce loneliness. Q: From your standpoint as the President of the Student Council, how high of a priority should the issue of ensuring student well-being be for universities and why? KATJA POPOVIĆ: The issue of ensuring the well-being of male and female students of our University should be the main mission of our University. As the former President of the Student Council of the University of Zagreb, I experienced this firsthand. As the main representative of all male and female students at the University of Zagreb, I considered, and still consider, that it is the most important issue and that it is most important of all to position students at the center of everything the University does. Q: Do you consider student well-being to be key to their academic success and overall study experience? KATJA POPOVIĆ: Student well-being is, truly, key to their academic success and their overall experience. Why? Because the quality of studying directly—and by the quality of studying I mean student dorms, the quality of food in cafeterias, the content to which students are exposed, which is presented to them—all of that affects the satisfaction and happiness of students, and even the health of male and female students at our University, and consequently, it affects academic success and whether the experience at the faculty is positive or negative. Q: Which specific forms of support for student well-being does the University currently offer (e.g., counseling, workshops, special services) and how familiar are students with these forms of support? KATJA POPOVIĆ: The well-being of male and female students of the University of Zagreb should be the main mission of the University of Zagreb. It is extremely important that the focus is on our well-being and that all decisions are made based on our well-being. Students feel this, and I can say that as a student of this University, I personally feel it too. Regarding academic success and the general experience of students, well-being plays a key role. Well-being is extremely and directly connected to the kind of student dorms students live in, the food they consume in cafeterias, the content they are exposed to, and all of that is managed by the University of Zagreb and the Student Center of the University of Zagreb. Regarding specific services here that serve student well-being at the University of Zagreb, there is a psychological counseling center for students which opened in 2024, and students are informed about its work; through this counseling center, every male and female student has the right to free psychological counseling. Regarding the launch of new initiatives through the Student Council of the University of Zagreb, one of the most important projects of the Student Council is the UniZg Cycle, which was specifically implemented in part of 2023, and through that project, we managed to provide free menstrual products for all menstruating persons, and those free products are available to all mentioned persons at all faculties and in all student dorms at this University. Q: Are there initiatives by the Student Council aimed at promoting student well-being or improving existing support? KATJA POPOVIĆ: Not only are there initiatives and services of the Student Council that serve student well-being, but the main mission of the Student Council of the University of Zagreb is to launch these initiatives and direct students to existing initiatives that are there for their well-being. Some of the most well-known initiatives are the UniZg Cycle project which we launched in 2023, and it served and still serves to provide free menstrual products for all menstruating persons, and all free menstrual products are available to all female students at all faculties and in all student dorms. Achieving the vision of mentally healthy and well-being-dedicated higher education institutions requires that higher education institutions adopt mental health and well-being as a strategic priority and develop guidelines for the well-being of employees and students. This framework emphasizes the key importance of developing concrete guidelines tailored to each higher education institution. These guidelines should clearly define the areas, goals, activities, and indicators of progress in promoting the mental health and well-being of employees and students. Through a systematic and planned approach, a supportive environment can be created that ensures the well-being of the entire academic community.