05/05/2026
Stronger Together for Mental Health in Academia
Claudia I. Iacob
This week, as Europe comes together for the European Mental Health Week, it is worth pausing to ask: how are we stronger together in academia?
I ask this not just as a researcher, but as someone trained in psychology who has sat with people in distress - and who has also recognised my own reflection in what they were describing. People who work in the academic environment often report never-ending to-do lists, the guilt of taking a weekend off; the fear that no matter how much you produce, it will never quite be enough. If you also work in academia, you probably know what I mean.
Academic culture has long celebrated endurance over wellbeing. We hesitate to admit that we are struggling, because everyone around us seems to be managing just fine, or at least, that is what it looks like from the outside. But the research tells a different story. Doctoral researchers experience stress levels higher than the general population; not because they are less capable, but because the system asks so much while offering so little in return: precarious contracts, the pressure to publish, the lack of institutional support for research.
This is not a personal failing. It is a structural one. And it will not change through individual resilience alone. That is where together becomes meaningful to me - not as a slogan, but as a practice. It means a supervisor who notices when someone on their team has gone quiet. It means a colleague who says "I'm not doing great either". It means institutions that build support into the culture. It means giving researchers access to tools and resources that genuinely help them become better at their job.
This is what drew me to the project idea. ReACT is an upcoming, free, online psychoeducational programme built on acceptance and commitment therapy principles, especially for researchers struggling to manage work-related stress. It is an example of institutional support for the wellbeing of researchers. In eight interactive modules, researchers can explore work-life balance, psychological flexibility, and advocacy for a healthier academic culture - at their own pace, in six languages, from wherever they are.
This European Mental Health Week, my invitation is to check in with someone in your academic community. Maybe this is where stronger together begins.
