The SUNMENTORS project has now entered one of its most crucial phases: the piloting of the e-learning platform. Across partner universities in Europe, teaching staff are actively engaging with the newly developed training modules, putting months of collaborative work into real-life academic contexts.

These piloting sessions mark a key transition for the project, from curriculum development to practical application and evaluation. The e-learning platform, designed to support university teaching staff in addressing student mental health, is currently being tested in Germany, Greece, Belgium and the United Kingdom, with a focus on two of the most prevalent mental health challenges in higher education: anxiety and depression.

Testing in Real Academic Environments

During the piloting phase, lecturers from different faculties and levels of experience are navigating the platform, exploring its interactive learning units, case studies and practical exercises. Participants include both staff who were previously involved in the project’s earlier consultation workshops and new lecturers encountering the SUNMENTORS approach for the first time.

This diversity is intentional. By involving teaching staff with varying degrees of familiarity with mental health topics, the project team ensures that the platform is accessible, relevant and adaptable across disciplines and institutional contexts.

Learning, Reflecting and Giving Feedback

The piloting sessions are not just about participation, they are about reflection and improvement. Teaching staff are invited to share their experiences through pre- and post-evaluation questionnaires, as well as qualitative feedback. These insights focus on:

• clarity and relevance of the content
• usability and navigation of the platform
• perceived increase in confidence when supporting students
• practical applicability in everyday teaching situations

This structured evaluation allows the partnership to assess how effectively the training strengthens mental health awareness, communication skills and boundary setting among university staff.

Strengthening Quality and Impact

Feedback collected during the piloting phase will directly inform the final refinement of the e-learning platform. Adjustments to content, structure and technical features will be made to ensure that the training responds to real needs identified by teaching staff across Europe.

Beyond improving the platform itself, the piloting phase also supports a broader goal of SUNMENTORS: embedding mental health awareness into inclusive university strategies. The insights gained help partner institutions reflect on how digital training can complement existing support services and contribute to long-term cultural change within higher education.

Looking Ahead

As the piloting sessions continue, SUNMENTORS is one step closer to delivering a validated, freely accessible e-learning tool that can be used by higher education institutions across Europe. The lessons learned during this phase will not only strengthen the platform but also inform future dissemination, institutional uptake and policy recommendations.

The journey from concept to practice is well underway, and the voices of teaching staff are shaping the final outcome.

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