An Educational and Research Center for Mental Health has launched at Sumy National Agrarian University, serving as a space for psychological support, building stress resilience, and restoring inner resources. The Center began operations on August 1, 2026, becoming a vital new component of university life.
A university is, first and foremost, about people—those who study, teach, conduct research, launch new projects, interact, make decisions, and work daily amidst constant challenges. This is especially true during wartime, when professional and academic workloads are compounded by air raid alerts, uncertainty, information-related stress, and the constant need to adapt to new circumstances. That is why prioritizing mental health has become not merely an important element, but an essential part of modern university life.
Establishing the Center marked a significant milestone for SNAU. Its mission is to help students and staff better manage stress, understand their emotional states, build psychological resilience, and find resources for recovery at a time when the war directly impacts everyone’s daily life.
The Center is headed by Nataliia Kovalenko—a psychologist, psychotherapist, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, and Professor of Psychology.
The Center’s inaugural event was a training session titled “Prevention of Emotional Burnout,” held on September 8, which brought together staff from SNAU’s Promotion Office and the Center for Work with International Students.
A unique format was chosen for the gathering: an outdoor training session. Instead of the usual classrooms and offices—fresh air, a more relaxed pace, and the opportunity to set work aside for a few hours to focus on one’s own well-being.
The training covered topics such as emotional burnout—its causes and symptoms—as well as stress, personal resources, and work-life balance. A key part of the session was practical work: participants engaged in exercises for self-regulation, tension relief, and grounding, while learning to recognize the early signs of emotional exhaustion and discover ways to recharge.
After all, burnout often begins imperceptibly—with constant fatigue, accumulated tension, and the feeling that even rest no longer restores one’s energy. Learning to spot these signals in time is a crucial step toward preserving one’s personal resources.
“We want mental health care to become a natural part of university life. It is important not to wait until your resources are completely depleted, but rather to learn to recognize your state early, understand your needs, and find ways to recover,” notes Nataliia Kovalenko, Director of the SNAU Mental Health Center.
The Center’s work will continue through new meetings, training sessions, and practical activities for SNAU students and staff. The focus remains on psychological literacy, stress resilience, self-regulation, the prevention of emotional exhaustion, and the skills needed to maintain inner balance, even during challenging times. The Mental Health Center aims to foster a university culture where discussing one’s psychological state is considered normal, seeking support is viewed as natural, and self-care is recognized as a vital component of professional and personal development.
The Center welcomes communication with the university community. You can learn more about its activities, upcoming events, and available support options on the Center’s page on the official SNAU website.
The inaugural training session was made possible through the “SPARK — Strengthening Protection, Assistance, Resilience, and Knowledge in the Sumy and Kharkiv Regions” project. This project is funded by the Government of the Italian Republic via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). It is implemented by the NGO “Bukovyna Agency for Initiatives and Development” in collaboration with the Mental Health Center of Kharkiv National Medical University.
SNAU is cultivating an environment centered on the individual, prioritizing psychological well-being and the capacity for personal growth.
