UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), in collaboration with the UNAIR SDGs Center, held the international conference “SDGs Connect: AUN-HPN” at the Garuda Mukti Hall, UNAIR MERR-C Campus, on Wednesday (October 14, 2026). Through the AUN-HPN Youth Project, delegates presented health-promotion innovations for the campus and wider community.
Student mental health innovation
A delegation from UNAIR, represented by Ade Shendy Aulia Ashari and Aulia Dwi Wijayanti from the Bachelor of Science in Physics program at the Faculty of Science and Technology UNAIR, showcased an innovation titled “Piece of Mind” (PoM). This innovation was developed as a solution to the high levels of academic pressure and excessive screen time among college students.
PoM is an interactive, offline, self-guided mental health promotion kit that includes guided journaling, reflection notes, an emotional release box, and puzzle-based discovery. This kit guides students through the seven stages of the PoM Journey.
Ashari explained that this project was born out of concern over the stress-inducing dynamics of campus life. “Through PoM, we’re providing a medium to promote mental health that helps reduce screen time while giving students a moment to breathe,” she emphasized.
She added that testing on 30 students showed an engagement rate of 92 percent and that the kit increased participants’ sense of calm by 1.53 points. “We really hope this project doesn’t end with the conference but can be realized in practice on our campus,” Ashari continued.
First aid education for NCDs
On the other hand, the Vietnamese delegate, Le Van Hai Dang from Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, presented a health promotion project focused on preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This initiative focuses on improving young people’s preparedness in the event of a cardiac arrest emergency.
Dang explained that his project is packaged as interactive workshops based on adapted OSCE simulations to equip students with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills. “Our main goal is to provide the younger generation with practical skills so they can perform CPR accurately. This is a very basic and crucial first-aid skill,” said Dang.
In addition, he also expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome from the organizing committee and the modern, well-equipped facilities available during the event at UNAIR. “The SDGs CONNECT 2026 event served as a truly memorable medium for the exchange of knowledge and culture for all ASEAN delegates,” he concluded.
Author: M Yasir Dharmawan Diniy
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
