Linz. After four semesters of distance teaching, the universities are back to normal operations. For many it is the first time that they experience a full lecture hall, even though they are almost done with their bachelor’s degree. The pandemic has left many negative marks, as is now also shown by an IMAS study commissioned by the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH) at Johannes Kepler University (JKU).
Two thirds of the 2000 respondents stated that they hardly knew their classmates and 58 percent felt psychological stress from Corona, which robs them of the joy and motivation to study. “The learning and social behavior of the students has suffered greatly,” says Paul Eiselsberg from IMAS International. The online survey was conducted in the first two months of this year, and around seven percent of all JKU students took part. For the ÖH chairperson Vanessa Fuchs (AG), the results are “alarming”, she calls for the university to remain open for the coming autumn.
88 percent of those surveyed were generally satisfied with the JKU, although satisfaction decreases with age. The ÖH assumes that this is an expression of the difficult compatibility of family, work and studies.
ÖH for summer university and more psychological care offers
The studies are difficult to plan, there are too few course and examination dates, which also overlap, complains the ÖH. The student representatives are therefore committed to increasing the range of courses offered by the university, especially in the evenings and in summer. This is intended to relieve working people, who make up around half of all JKU students.
The need for psychological care has increased due to Corona, the capacities of the university are not sufficient for this. “Politicians must also take action here and expand psychological support at the universities,” Fuchs demands.
The ÖH has set up a mental health fund, from which students can receive 500 euros for therapy sessions.
Source: Nachrichten
