The Indian Institute of Technology Indore hosted a two-day capacity building workshop titled "Samvardhan: From Academic Excellence to Sustainable Wellness" from August 30-31, 2026, organized by the Department of Higher Education, Union Ministry of Education in collaboration with IIT Indore. The workshop aimed to strengthen institutional capacities for creating healthier, more supportive higher education ecosystems through promoting positive mental health, resilience, and holistic student wellbeing.
Dr. Suhas S. Joshi, Director of IIT Indore, emphasized the need for collective commitment to build resilient minds, strengthen connected campuses, and advance student wellbeing, calling for the translation of workshop learnings into sustained institutional practices. The program brought together 94 participants from 21 Higher Education Institutions across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh, including institutional leaders, faculty members, student affairs professionals, mental health experts, wardens, students, and counsellors.
The workshop combined expert interactions, hands-on activities, participant brainstorming, recapitulation, and feedback to facilitate experiential and collaborative learning. Day one sessions covered the psychosocial landscape of higher education institutions, institutional wellbeing initiatives, social belonging and connected campuses, early identification and facilitation of interventions, life-skills-based peer mentoring, and prevention of lifestyle-related conditions. Day two focused on practical experience in identifying flag signs, specific learning disabilities, prevention of substance use, hostel ecosystems, collaborative living spaces, and mentoring networks. The workshop culminated with the development of institutional/university wellbeing indicators, final recommendations, and action plans by participating institutions.
The event was organized under the Teacher Connect Programme of Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme (MMTTP) for the central and west regions, drawing experts from diverse areas including psychiatry and mental health, nutrition and healthy lifestyles, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), learning disabilities, and student support.