How Leiden and Botswana are working together to build sustainable digital mental healthcare
Mental health
Leiden University and the University of Botswana are working together to make online mental healthcare more accessible in Botswana through joint education, training and research. Leiden brings expertise in digital mental health interventions, while the University of Botswana contributes knowledge of local needs and circumstances.
The aim of the project is to sustainably strengthen expertise and capacity in e-mental health. To achieve this, Leiden University and the University of Botswana are developing an online course for bachelor's and master's students, with a strong emphasis on intercultural learning and knowledge exchange between the two institutions. They are also collaborating on new research projects and jointly supervising a new PhD project on e-mental health at the University of Botswana.
By further strengthening expertise, research and digital innovation, both universities aim to narrow the gap between the need for mental healthcare and its availability in Botswana. They also hope to generate knowledge that could eventually benefit other low- and middle-income countries.
First working visits
The first working visit in June marked an important step in strengthening the partnership and exploring opportunities for future collaboration. Staff from the University of Botswana attended Psychology Science Day, the Leiden Teachers Academy Conference and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences' (FSW) Health & Well-being lunch meetings. These events gave them an opportunity to learn more about teaching and ongoing research, exchange ideas with colleagues and explore possibilities for future research collaboration.
Research into depression and HIV
Boitumelo Vavani, a researcher at the University of Botswana, successfully defended her PhD thesis on 16 June. Her research focused on a self-help programme for people in Botswana living with HIV and experiencing symptoms of depression. She also gave an interview about her research and its implications for digital mental healthcare.
Coaching in eHealth
Several co-creation workshops were also organised. During these sessions, participants worked together to design an online course, with a particular focus on coaching skills in eHealth and the development of digital interventions. Mutual learning and bringing together perspectives from Botswana and the Netherlands were central to these workshops.
New PhD research project
The universities also held strategic discussions about a new PhD research project focusing on e-mental health for students and young people in Botswana. These discussions helped identify future research priorities and explore opportunities for joint supervision and academic exchange.
Implementing eHealth
Discussions were also held with the developers of GezondeBoel, a Dutch eHealth platform. These focused on the technical and practical aspects of developing and implementing digital health interventions. The participants also explored how existing expertise could support future e-mental health initiatives in Botswana.
A strong foundation for collaboration
This first visit has strengthened personal and professional connections between researchers, staff and students at both institutions. It has laid the groundwork for the development of joint educational activities, new research projects and sustainable knowledge exchange. The partnership has therefore taken another step towards its shared ambition of improving access to digital mental healthcare.
The working visit by two members of staff from the University of Botswana was funded through an Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (ICM) grant. The ICM programme supports staff and student mobility between Leiden University and partner institutions around the world. The next internal application round closes on 16 November. For more information, visit the educational grants website or contact the Educational Projects Team at edugrants@sea.leidenuniv.nl.