Making space for mental health

Every year on 10 October, we observe World Mental Health Day, which aims to raise awareness of mental health issues worldwide. While mental health is a topic that touches all of us, this EAIE podcast episode zooms in on student mental health: an area that continues to receive more attention but is still occasionally overlooked or underestimated. Navigating new cultures, academic pressures, and social isolation can take a toll on student well-being, making mental health support not just a service, but a lifeline.

In this EAIE podcast episode, host Laura Rumbley explores best practices that empower both students and HEIs to discuss this topic openly and act accordingly. Sophia Schmieder is the Programme Director of the Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University (FUBiS), and she shows how her HEI stepped up with a strong good-practice example. Efe Berke Akkaya, president of ESN Türkiye, discusses the importance of mental health for international students and the initiatives ESN has taken to address these issues, particularly the Erasmus Psychological Assessment project. Whether you’re a student, educator, or policymaker, this conversation invites you to join in, reflect, and possibly even act.

About Sophia Schmieder

Sophia Schmieder is the Programme Director of the Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University (FUBiS), the multidisciplinary short-term study abroad programme of Freie Universität Berlin. She has been leading the programme for almost 20 years and has extensive experience in developing international education formats that combine academic excellence with student well-being. Under her direction, FUBiS welcomes around 600 students from more than 40 countries each year to its three academic terms in Berlin. Sophia is particularly interested in creating inclusive, supportive learning environments and in fostering intercultural understanding through short-term international education.

About Efe Berke Akkaya

Efe Berke Akkaya is the current National President of ESN (Erasmus Student Network) Türkiye. Efe was born in Samsun, Türkiye, in 2001. His life took a transformative turn at 17 when he joined the AFS Programme and went on an exchange to León, Spain. Immersed in an international community for the first time, he developed a deep passion for intercultural exchange and international education—values he has carried with him ever since. In 2021, Efe joined the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and has remained an active member ever since. He first served as the Local President of ESN Kadir Has, where he led initiatives to support and engage international students on campus. His dedication then took him to the national level, where he completed a mandate as National Vice President. Today, Efe serves as the President of ESN Türkiye. In this role, he works daily to support international students and promote mobility programmes across the country, continuing the mission that first inspired him years ago in Spain.