Following the Awareness Campaign, the Office of Human Resources and the Psychology Unit, Department of Social Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, organised a Workshop on ‘Stress Management and Mindfulness’ in the context of the 60th Anniversary of the University of Mauritius.

The Workshop was held on 23 September 2025 from 09.00hrs to 11.30hrs in the Lecture Theatre 1, at the University with the aim to further support the staff in their professional journey at the University and their personal lives.

Staff spent a relaxing half-day, learning about managing stress and practising new techniques for wellbeing. The workshop was led by Dr Fiona Grant, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. Dr Roshan Unmar, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, was the Guest Speaker on meditation. Dr Grant started the workshop with a quiz on the University crest. She reframed the University’s famous motto “Scientia Salus Patriae” in the context of Wellness, explaining that she liked the idea of referring to the UoM’s motto as “Knowledge at the Service of the Wellbeing of the Nation”. She then explained the differences between good stress and toxic stress and the Stress Performance Curve. Group discussions and interactive sessions were also conducted on the major stressors and how to recognise colleagues or friends who are under stress and the associated physical, emotional, behavioural and mental signs of stress.

Dr Grant guided the participants through stress management techniques such as mindful breathing, time management, and lifestyle plans. Dr Roshan Unmar’s meditation session helped staff to learn to quiet their minds and focus on their inner self, through deeply engaging visualisation techniques. 

A Second Workshop focusing on Emotions and Emotional Intelligence is currently in the pipeline. Stay tuned for more news!