NIMHANS to debut online programme training faculty as student wellbeing ambassadors

NIMHANS will roll out an online certificate programme for student wellbeing ambassadors on World Mental Health Day. The self‑paced course, run by the institute’s Department of Clinical Psychology, will be hosted on the NIMHANS Digital Academy and open for enrolment until 30 October, with classes starting in November. The inaugural batch can take up to 350 participants who are nominated by their colleges. Eligibility covers faculty of any subject, as well as wardens, deans and student‑welfare officers who have at least three years left in their current posting. Students in distress will be identified, supported and guided by trainees who learn to spot warning signs, reduce stigma and promote help‑seeking, while also bolstering suicide‑risk reduction efforts. The three‑month curriculum packs 12‑15 hours of video lessons, quizzes, assignments, reflective tasks and reading material. NIMHANS stresses that the training does not replace professional counselling or psychotherapy but clarifies the limits and responsibilities of a wellbeing ambassador within existing campus support systems. The initiative forms part of Karnataka’s new student mental‑health policy for higher education, and a follow‑up programme is being designed to help trained staff apply the knowledge on their campuses. Detailed course information and the online application form are posted on the NIMHANS website and the Digital Academy’s Course Announcements page.

Context

The programme aligns with a statewide push to embed mental‑health resources in universities, aiming to create early‑intervention links and lower suicide rates among young adults.