The Academic Centre for Psychological Support was created out of necessity: to help UG students looking for support in crisis situations (one such situation was the COVID-19 pandemic). For five years, it has been developing forms of support to best meet the mental health needs of the academic community at the University of Gdańsk. It also strives to effectively promote knowledge in this area. In April, the efforts of the ACPS were recognised with an award from the PR and Promotion of Polish Universities Association ‘PRom’ 2025 in the Media Relations category. The award was presented to the Centre's Director, dr Agata Rudnik.

‘The Centre helps people to cope with difficult situations. But since its inception, it has also fulfilled another role: actively supporting public debate and sharing knowledge and expertise in the media,’ says dr Agata Rudnik, Director of the Academic Centre for Psychological Support at the University of Gdańsk. ‘From the beginning, we wanted it to be a kind of think tank in the area of mental health. We succeeded. And the key to our success is constant cooperation with the media.’

The media with which the ACPS UG has been in contact include: The Polish Press Agency, TVN 24 (Fakty po Faktach), Polskie Radio (especially programme 3), RMF FM, Radio 357, Radio Gdańsk, Polsat television and internet portals such as Trojmiasto.pl, Naukawpolsce.pap.pl and Wirtualna Polska. Since the beginning of its activity, the ACPS has been trying to react to social needs, as well as respond to current problems, challenges and trends related to mental health.

‘From the very first days of my work as the director of the ACB UG, I was invited to participate in radio and television programmes to comment on the impact of the pandemic on mental health,’ says dr Agata Rudnik. ‘On Polsat television, I talked about how to take care of your mental health in the context of the war in Ukraine. My expert telephone consultation on the RMF FM programme ‘Twoje Zdrowie’ was a great success. The radio station invited me to answer listeners' questions and give specialised psychological advice.’

Media relations are handled in close cooperation with the University of Gdańsk's spokesperson, Magdalena Nieczuja-Goniszewska; it enables us to effectively reach a wide audience. This is important because of the educational purpose of the ACPS UG, which is to promote mental health.

‘Our mission? To popularise psychoeducation and reliable, evidence-based psychological knowledge,’ summarises dr Agata Rudnik.

The award in the Media Relations category for the activities of the Academic Psychological Support Centre of the University of Gdańsk was presented on 7 April during a gala ceremony as part of the 37th Conference of the ‘PRom’ Association in Łódź.