We wanted to familiarize technical uni students who are going abroad with possible problems and risks that may arise, so that they are able to solve them. The support materials available before mobility, during and after arrival back in the home country were supposed to ensure the students give them security and serve as a source of information for solving specific situations. Before mobility, they had the opportunity to learn various techniques as part of the training program. They acquired strategies to deal with situations that affect their mental and physical well-being. During the mobility the students had important contacts and materials from trainings available through the website. We taught students that it is important to take care of their mental health and not to be afraid to seek help if needed. By providing support, we wanted to increase the number of students going abroad and the inclusive approach of the program due to the nature of the support. The existence of the program was also intended to assure the students that the sending university is doing its best to prepare them for the journey and to motivate them to get the most out of the mobility for their personal and professional development.
As employees of IRO CTU, we have realized the need to pay attention to the mental health of students. This area has been neglected and not given attention so far. As part of our experience with outgoing students, and following the pandemic situation, we decided to apply with the COSTABEX project. Going abroad is challenging for students in many ways - they meet a new culture, they can experience a feeling of loneliness, study in a foreign language, they are outside their familiar surroundings. The process itself before going abroad can be quite stressful for students, and vice versa after arrival back in the Czech Republic they may encounter a reverse culture shock, which can be a shock for students. Unpreparedness and ignorance can lead to serious states of anxiety, depression or hospitalization. Students may thus lack support, apart from administrative support, for a full time spent abroad. It is necessary to prepare them for what they may experience during their stay abroad, such as feelings of loneliness or culture shock, to give them the tools to prevent these situations. The task of our project is to increase students' readiness for the trip and thereby ensure as positive a mobility experience as possible.