Talking about mental health at the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) is no longer an isolated topic. In recent years, the university community has embraced a more human-centered approach to listening, supporting, and building networks of care as essential components of academic and professional life.
Along this journey, the UIS Listening Center is celebrating its third anniversary, consolidating its role as a space that has helped strengthen an institutional culture grounded in care, empathy, and recognition of people’s emotional needs. What began as an initiative to bring mental health services closer to the university community has evolved into a strategy that promotes safer, more resilient, and supportive environments.
Over the past three years, the Listening Center has gone beyond the traditional service model by reaching different areas of university life. Its initiatives have fostered conversations about emotional well-being, helped reduce the stigma surrounding help-seeking, and encouraged mutual support as a shared responsibility among all members of the community.
UIS Listening Center Third Anniversary Celebration
During the ceremony, Ángela María Mateus Acosta, Director of the Listening Center, led a recognition event honoring UIS professionals who have made significant contributions throughout their careers to strengthening initiatives aimed at consolidating the UIS community.
“It is wonderful to receive this recognition, not only for the Listening Center and its three years of service, but also for the University’s commitment to humanizing mental health care for our students and the entire university community. It is equally important to continue expanding this initiative throughout the region, as it plays a key role in strengthening the institution’s dynamics and promoting comprehensive well-being,” highlighted María Fernanda Rodríguez, a UIS professional.
More than a service, the UIS Listening Center has become a meeting place where people find support, guidance, and the opportunity to be heard. Three years after its creation, the professionals who make up the team continue to demonstrate that listening is also a powerful way to transform lives.
