Jan 22, 2026
TUD and AOK PLUS sign agreement on “Mindful University Culture” project
Jana Maywald (left), Head of the Dresden Regional Centre of AOK PLUS, and Prof. Roswitha Böhm, Vice-Rector University Culture and Internationalization at TUD, signing the agreement.
Focus on promoting primary prevention of mental illness
TUD Dresden University of Technology plans to cooperate with AOK PLUS in order to promote the mental health of its employees and students in a targeted manner. The “Mindful University Culture” project aims to create a culture that promotes openness, respect, and mutual appreciation, while establishing mental health as an essential component of a sustainable and supportive university environment. All TUD students and employees are part of the project’s target group.
“The joint project with AOK PLUS will make a key contribution to the advancement of a healthy, inclusive, and resilient TU Dresden,” explains Prof. Roswitha Böhm, Vice-Rector University Culture and Internationalization at TUD. "The project consists of two parts: By establishing a network of certified mindfulness multipliers, we will not only create effective mindfulness resources that promote individual mental health, but also strengthen nurturing relationships. By training employees and students to become certified mental health first responders, we will be able to provide early support to colleagues and fellow students experiencing mental health issues. This will enable us to identify signs of mental health problems at an early stage, provide information about local support services, and facilitate access to professional help.“ The Vice-Rector further highlights: “Overall, the project not only contributes to promoting individual health, but is also a crucial step towards a respectful and non-discriminatory university community.”
“With the ‘Mindful University Culture’ project, we are joining forces with TU Dresden to strengthen an environment in which health, appreciation, and mental well-being are a natural part of everyday life,” says Jana Maywald, Head of the Dresden Regional Center, who signed the project agreement on behalf of AOK PLUS. “A healthy university thrives on mindfulness, openness, and mutual support – values that we as a health insurance provider are actively seeking to promote. With its commitment, TU Dresden is demonstrating how a holistic approach to health promotion can be sustainably integrated into everyday university life. We are delighted to support this process with our expertise in health management and to provide impetuses for a resilient and sustainable university culture.”
Background information on mindfulness:
The focus is on establishing a network of certified mindfulness multipliers (employees and students) at TU Dresden in order to create a broad foundation for mindfulness initiatives. The idea behind this is the concept of the “Mindfulness in Education and University Culture” (ABiK) project run by the Center for Teacher Training and School Research at the University of Leipzig, which focuses on the development of self-awareness and empathy skills as well as the assumption of responsibility against the backdrop of perceived interdependencies. The concept encompasses the development of skills in individual, social and ecological mindfulness. The emphasis is on each individual, their fellow human beings and society as a whole, with the aim of creating a healthy university and leadership culture.
Representatives of the participating teams from AOK PLUS and TUD with the signed agreements.
Background information on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA):
MHFA is a proactive approach to promoting mental health and creating a supportive environment at TUD with the aim of raising awareness of mental illness, creating a network for early help and support, and destigmatizing and eliminating discrimination against people with mental health issues. To this end, employees and students are trained to become certified mental health first responders. The basis for this is the concept of MHFA Ersthelfer, the provider licensed by Mental Health First Aid International for mental health first aid courses and instructor training in Germany. The aim is to enable individuals to recognize signs of mental health problems at an early stage, provide information about local support services and resources, facilitate access to professional support and, as a result, prevent mental health crises.
Contact:
TUD Dresden University of Technology
Directorate University Culture
Unit 9.4 Occupational Health Services
Stefan Kluge
Health Management Coordinator
Tel.: +49 351 463-40216
Email:
AOK PLUS
Media and Politics Department
Felix Krüger
Press/Public Relations Division
Telephone: 0800 10590-58645
Email: