Bridging Disciplines for Psychological Well-being
INSPIRE is an interdisciplinary initiative developed within the Una Europa framework, addressing the growing global challenges related to mental health and psychological well-being through a systemic and transdisciplinary approach.
By bringing together perspectives from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, education, economics, philosophy and digital technologies, the project promotes a shared European understanding of well-being as a dynamic and multi-level process shaped by biological, social, cultural, economic, technological and ecological factors.
Aligned with the One Health framework and the Una Europa strategic priorities, INSPIRE aims to strengthen collaboration across disciplines and institutions, contributing to the development of innovative research and training pathways at European level. In this context, the project adopts a systemic perspective that connects individual well-being with broader societal, environmental and educational dynamics, moving towards a holistic “One Mental Health” approach
Over a period of 18 months, INSPIRE combines research, training and dissemination activities within a coordinated and interdisciplinary framework.
The project is structured around interconnected work strands that include the co-design of an interdisciplinary mentoring programme, the organisation of a Winter/Summer School based on active learning methodologies, and the implementation of a final international conference in Bologna. These activities are complemented by regular consortium meetings, conceived as interdisciplinary incubators fostering dialogue between early-career researchers and senior scholars, as well as by the development of joint research outputs and future funding initiatives.
The project adopts innovative teaching and learning formats such as flipped classrooms, collaborative problem-solving and peer learning to support the application of theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges and to promote active engagement across disciplines.
INSPIRE is coordinated by the University of Bologna (Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”) and involves a network of Una Europa partner universities: Jagiellonian University, Leiden University, Complutense University of Madrid, Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Edinburgh.
The consortium brings together a multidisciplinary team of senior scholars and early-career researchers from diverse academic fields, contributing to a truly transdisciplinary research environment.
The project is led by Martina Benvenuti, who oversees the scientific coordination and the development of the project’s interdisciplinary approach.
A central component of INSPIRE is the development of an interdisciplinary mentoring programme involving early-career researchers and senior scholars from partner institutions.
The programme is designed to foster exchange across disciplines, support research development and strengthen collaboration within the Una Europa alliance. Particular emphasis is placed on the active involvement of early-career researchers in all phases of the project from co-design to dissemination supporting their professional development and promoting opportunities for co-authorship and international networking.
👉 Further information on the mentors involved in the project is available on the dedicated page
INSPIRE contributes to reinforcing the role of the University of Bologna in interdisciplinary research on psychological well-being and enhances its visibility within Una Europa and at European level.
At the same time, the project provides partner institutions with access to a structured collaborative framework, innovative training formats and new opportunities for joint research development.
More specifically, INSPIRE aims to:
By bridging the gap between theory and practice, the project contributes to the development of scalable and evidence-based interventions addressing mental health challenges across different societal contexts.
The Winter School and related activities are currently under development. Further information on the programme and participation will be published soon.