The Blended Intensive Programme on “Social Health and Well-Being on Campus”

The programme combined virtual sessions (March 19-20, 2026) with an intensive on-site week in Iași (March 23-27, 2026), bringing together a select group of students from the Alliance’s Partner Universities. By involving only members of the EC2U community, the programme created a dedicated living laboratory to explore the future of the European Campus.

For the first time in this format, the campus of UAIC welcomed participants from across the EC2U network, including the Universities of Coimbra, Jena, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Pavia, Poitiers, Turku, and the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. Participants were supported by local volunteers from the EC2U LIFELINE Master’s programme and Social Work students from UAIC.

The event was an important meeting point for the UAIC academic community and its international partners. The programme was officially inaugurated in the symbolic Ferdinand Hall by Prof. Dr. Nicoleta Popa, Vice-Rector for International Relations and Institutional Coordinator of EC2U at UAIC, alongside Prof. Dr. Daniela Șoitu, BIP Coordinator and EC2U WP4 Leader.

Programme Highlights and Academic Activities

Throughout the week, UAIC opened its doors to showcase its cultural and academic heritage. Participants engaged in a comprehensive on-site programme that included:

• Expert-led workshops and research methodology sessions: 
  • Prof. Dr. Conțiu Șoitu addressed Mental Health in the Global Campus, offering a broad perspective on student well-being in international academic environments. 
  • Technical expertise was provided by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Romeo Asiminei, who conducted a workshop on How to Collect and Interpret Quantitative Data on Well-Being and Health, and by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Daniela Muntele, who explored Socio-Cognitive Models for Understanding Behavioural Change.
  • Prof. Dr. Cornelia Măirean and Lena Schmitz (University of Jena) further expanded the discussion through their session on Mental Resilience on Campus.
• Biodiversity and nature-based well-being: part of the programme took place at the “Anastasie Fătu” Botanical Garden, where students explored the connection between nature and health through several activities, including a thematic route dedicated to urban biodiversity, workshops on Oshibana and Kokedama, and a photography exhibition showcasing plant and bird species from the Botanical Garden.
   
• Campus fieldwork, mapping and interviews: students engaged in a collaborative research-action activity entitled Mapping the Campus, using standard research tools to analyse the social and living environment of the university campus. The activity was coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Adrian Ursu (UAIC), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ricardo Almendra (University of Coimbra) and Lucille Birot (University of Poitiers).
   
• Community and cultural heritage activities: highlights included a performance by the Corala Universitas choir of UAIC (directed by Florin David), a Romanian Evening at Casa Universitarilor, an academic city tour, and research visits to the UAIC Museum and the Mihai Eminescu Central University Library.
   
• Participatory comparative challenge-based research and SWOT-based strategic approaches for promoting social health, well-being and resilience on campus were coordinated by the BIP Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Daniela Șoitu.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Impact

The success of this landmark programme was grounded in strong interdisciplinary collaboration across UAIC. By bringing together expertise from multiple faculties (Philosophy and Social-Political Sciences, Psychology and Education Sciences, Geography and Geology, Biology, Physical Education and Sport, and Computer Science), the programme created a holistic “living laboratory” that transcended traditional academic boundaries.

This academic vision was supported by strong organisational coordination and strategic partnerships. The joint efforts of the EC2U Local Coordinator (Petronela Spiridon-Ursu), the BIP Officer within the UAIC Erasmus+ Office (Anca Ionescu), the Communication Officer (Alexandru Grigoraș), and the Support Service for Students and Alumni (Diana Chihaia) ensured the smooth implementation of the programme. Their work demonstrated effective interdepartmental collaboration, combining academic ambition with strong administrative and communication support.

The impact of the initiative was further strengthened by the involvement of institutional partners. Contributions from the Romanian Academy (Commission for the Protection of Natural Monuments), the “Anastasie Fătu” Botanical Garden, the Romanian Ornithological Society, the Iași County Environment Directorate and the Iași Photographers Club provided students with valuable access to professional expertise and regional heritage.

As the first programme of its kind organised within an exclusively EC2U framework, this initiative does more than set a milestone, it provides a scalable blueprint for the future development of the European Campus. By empowering students to act as direct contributors and consultants for the Alliance, UAIC reaffirms its commitment to fostering a resilient, interconnected and well-being-focused academic community across Europe.