The main idea was to create more resilient student population in digital environment during the crises. The specific objectives were (SOs): SO1: Identification and analysis of the students’ psycho-social needs and difficulties in the distance education environment in times of crises; SO2: Development of the framework for supporting students in overcoming the identified difficulties; SO3: Development of training programs for providing peer support to students related to mental health and digital resilience; SO4: Piloting and development of the initial training of students who will provide further mental health support and enhance students’ digital resilience; SO5: Establishing students’ e-networks for the support; networking of university’s unites, centers and university’s community subgroups relevant for horizontal student’s mental health support; establishing continuous support of professional teams for psychological support; SO6: Development of related e-sources for the network of students’ support and relevant toolkit (portals, guides etc.); SO7: Raising awareness of the importance of digital resilience and psycho-social well-being of students in times of crisis.
The Digipsyres project was initiated to address the critical gaps in student support services, particularly in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While many universities had existing counselling and support services, these three were unprepared to handle the sudden increase in students requiring assistance. Additionally, they lacked structured procedures for student socialization, digital networking, e-psychotherapy, and e-counselling, all of which became essential in the crisis period. The rapid transition to online education exposed both the opportunities and vulnerabilities of students. Recognizing the growing needs for psycho-social support during crises, DigiPsyRes aimed to enhance both digital and psychological resilience through peer networking in online environments. The project focused on establishing a student-peer-support network to foster resilience at three partner universities and within the broader academic community. Given the difficulty of accessing professional psychological services during crises, peer support systems offer a crucial alternative for stress reduction and mental well-being. DigiPsyRes has laid the foundation for a more prepared and empowered student community.