ReACT Presented at the EARMA 2026 Conference

The project ReACT: Researchers’ act: training for psychological flexibility and work-related stress management was presented at the international EARMA 2026 Conference, held in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

The EARMA Annual Conference is one of the leading European events for professionals in research management and administration. Each year, the conference brings together representatives of universities, research organisations, grant offices, and international projects to exchange experience, develop partnerships, and discuss the future of the European research ecosystem.

In this context, the presentation of the ReACT project is particularly important, as researchers’ mental health, psychological flexibility, and resilience are increasingly recognised not only as individual concerns but also as essential conditions for the sustainable development of science. For universities, this means creating an environment in which researchers can not only carry out scientific work but also maintain their well-being, professional motivation, and capacity to work effectively under high levels of pressure.

During the conference, the project team presented the ReACT programme, which aims to support researchers’ psychological flexibility and help them manage stress related to academic and research work. The programme is based on a scientifically grounded approach – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This psychoeducational web-based programme has been designed specifically for researchers who face high professional demands, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion.

As part of the presentation, the team introduced eight interactive modules of the programme. Each module lasts approximately 30–40 minutes and combines psychoeducational content, reflection prompts, audio and video materials, and five types of interactive exercises. This format allows participants not only to gain knowledge about stress and psychological flexibility but also to immediately apply practical self-support tools.

The pilot implementation of the programme is planned for July 2026. More information about ReACT is available on the project website: researchersact.eu.

Participation in EARMA 2026 demonstrates that Berdyansk State Pedagogical University is part of the international dialogue on the future of science, where care for researchers’ mental health is recognised as an important component of quality, responsibility, and resilience in the academic community.

Based on materials by Natalia Tsybuliak and Anastasiia Popova

This material was prepared within the framework of the ReACT project (Researchers’ act: training for psychological flexibility and work-related stress management), co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme (KA220-HED). The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union or the National Agency.