DTU Mental Health Awareness Programme for PhD students, postdocs, and research assistants

Embarking on a research career is both intellectually stimulating and personally demanding. The pressure to perform, balance multiple responsibilities, and navigate an unpredictable career path can take a toll on mental well-being.

Mental health isn’t just about managing stress—it’s about finding balance, fostering a supportive research culture, and developing the language and confidence to engage in meaningful conversations about mental health. By talking about it, you contribute to a research environment where well-being is valued and openly discussed.

That’s why we invite you to join the DTU Mental Health Awareness Program—a 5-week program designed to give you the knowledge, tools, and community support to prioritize your mental well-being while thriving in academia (or beyond).

This program is designed to be flexible, practical, and completely free of performance pressure. It’s all about raising awareness, exploring different perspectives, and reflecting on what supports both your own and your colleagues’ well-being.

How the program works

• Online learning: Each week, new content will be released on our learning platform, including short videos, workbooks, and self-reflective exercises. You can engage with this material at your own pace.
• Live-online sessions: Over 5 weeks, we will meet online for an interactive session, where we connect, discuss, and reflect on mental health from a personal perspective.

While we understand that schedules can be busy, we highly encourage you to attend at least three live-online sessions to get the most out of the experience. These live sessions are where the real transformation happens—through shared insights, meaningful discussions, and a chance to put words to your experiences in a safe space. And don’t worry if you haven’t had time to go through all the online content before attending!

Note: There are only 60 spots available, so don’t wait too long to sign up! If you’ve participated before, you’re more than welcome to join again, each round brings new insights and connections.

Who Can Join?

No matter where you are in your research journey, whether you’ve just started your PhD, are wrapping up your thesis, or working as a postdoc or research assistant—this program is for you. Everyone is welcome, regardless of prior experience with mental health topics.

What You’ll Gain

By participating, you will:

• Broaden your understanding of mental health, both personally and within the research community.
• Develop the language and confidence to talk about mental health and well-being in an academic setting.
• Contribute to a research environment where mental well-being is valued and openly discussed.
• Learn practical self-care strategies
• Build a strong peer network of like-minded researchers who support each other.

Program details:

📅 Online content released every week, starting 14 October
📍   Live-online sessions every Tuesday at 15:00 (3PM) each week, beginning 20 October for 5 weeks. You will receive a calendar invitation with the zoom-link
🌍 Language: English
🎓 Who can join? PhD students, postdocs, and research assistants at DTU.