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Mental health in focus: Student Wellbeing Days at WU Vienna

03/04/2024

In the 2023 Mental Health Barometer survey, half of the students surveyed described their mental state as “not good” or “bad.” As many as 81% said they felt stressed. The most frequently mentioned stress factors were the workload of the degree programs, financial difficulties, mental health problems, and exam anxiety. Many of the students affected wait very long before seeking help. However, people increasingly recognize the importance of mental health, and more and more steps are taken to promote it. On April 8 and 9, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business will be holding the first edition of its Student Wellbeing Days.

WU sees it as part of its responsibility to not only to provide excellent academic education but also to promote and maintain the well-being of its students. As Rector Rupert Sausgruber points out, “By offering a range of counselling services, we’re taking important steps to ensure that our students come out of their degree programs not only stronger academically but also stronger personally and emotionally.”

Advisory and support services for students

WU Vienna’s Student Counseling Team offers a wide range of services to support students in all areas of life and in difficult situations. The Student Wellbeing Days in April will be WU Vienna’s first two-day event focusing exclusively on mental health. The event will address topics frequently brought up by students in their Student Counselling sessions, including exam anxiety, dealing with the pressure of high expectations, sleep disorders, and general well-being. As Margarethe Rammerstorfer, Vice-Rector for Academic Programs and Student Affairs, explains, “WU offers an environment where our students can grow not only academically but also personally. Stress, conflicts, or sudden changes can make us feel overwhelmed and cause us to lose focus. In such situations, it’s important to have support services and techniques at hand to deal with the problems effectively. This two-day event is first and foremost intended to help students realize that they’re not alone and that the WU community offers a wide range of support services that can also help them to prevent serious problems in their careers moving forward.”

Overview of the workshop topics

  • Life skills: Here the focus is on basic skills such as stress management, emotional self-management, and attention management.

  • Study skills: This includes workshops providing hands-on advice and strategies for successful learning at a university, including time management.

  • Rest & recovery: This block emphasizes the importance of rest and recovery, with a focus on body awareness and breathing.

  • Being successful: This section focuses on personal and professional success and encourages students to go their own way, be authentic, and to look beyond external indicators when it comes to defining what success means to them.

Click here for further information on the Student Wellbeing Days 2024

Press contact:
Cornelia Moll
Press Relations Officer
Tel: + 43-1-31336-4977
Email: cornelia.moll@wu.ac.at

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