From the Nominator

"Given the importance of preventing mental health issues among university students, we founded the Emotional Education Center (UR Emotion) of the Universidad del Rosario in May 2019. This center—whose goals are to foster emotional well-being, prevent mental health issues, and, by doing so, enhance student learning—is the first of its kind in Colombia. By incorporating the arts, sports, and games into psychological counseling, group work, and preventive programs, we have built an emotional education culture among the students, faculty, and staff at the Universidad del Rosario.  

In 2019, we transitioned from a clinical consultation to an emotional education model that prioritizes well-being, the promotion of mental health, and the prevention of mental health issues. We address the needs identified in our students through the promotion and stimulation of social and emotional skills that are necessary for effectively coping with life's difficult circumstances. Our work is based on the theoretical conceptions of emotional intelligence created by Salovey and Mayer (1990), and of emotional education proposed by Bisquerra (2000). We developed the UR Emotion Intervention Model using an interdisciplinary strategy that encourages the application of successful pedagogical techniques like psychoeducation, creative therapies, purposeful play, and conscious body movement (Coca et al., 2014; Garaigordobil, 2018). Our intervention techniques can be used with either individuals or groups, in different modalities (face-to-face, virtually, synchronously, or asynchronously), and are carried out in one of five healing environments: Conocerte (Self Knowledge), Emocionarte (Animate Yourself), Crearte (Creative Therapies), Recrearte (Emotional Training through Games), and Punto de Silencio (Quiet Place)."

From the Judges

Rooted in research, their emotional education model can help prevent mental health problems. Teaching students coping skills as part of the curriculum is a great idea.