It's called UCP2 Mental Health and it's the integrated system of mental health and well-being activities and services at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, which is currently under development and will be ready by September 2026. Dedicated to Católica students, UCP2 Mental Health is based on three main pillars - Promotion and Prevention, Psychological Support, Referral - and its activities and services will be progressively implemented.
Promotion and Prevention is the pillar that aims to increase the knowledge of all Católica students about mental health, self-care strategies and psychological first aid, promoting early identification of warning signs and seeking help in good time. It also aims to develop socio-emotional skills in first-year undergraduate/master's students so that they can adapt as positively as possible to higher education. Among the activities planned are the Cycles of Workshops on Mental Health Literacy and Psychological First Aid, as well as the Curricular Unit dedicated to developing Soft Skills.
Psychological Support is focused on accompanying students with common mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, and stress. This pillar includes the development of the UCP2 Mental Health 24h digital platform, which will facilitate access to requests for psychological support, screening, assessment and intervention.
The Referral pillar aims to create a solid network of partnerships with public and private health institutions, guaranteeing support for situations of risk, cases of serious mental disorders or clinical conditions that fall outside the scope of the Católica psychological support service.
Mapping the state of students' mental health
‘How's your Mental Health?‘ is the study that monitors and evaluates the mental health status of Católica students and that will allow the UCP2 Mental Health system to provide answers that are increasingly adjusted to students’ real needs.
A system by and for students
A Student Advisory Panel - UCP Students' Voices - has also been set up to actively involve students in the planning and implementation of activities.
With UCP2 Mental Health, Universidade Católica Portuguesa reinforces its commitment to creating a healthier academic environment, with solidarity and attention to the well-being of its students.
