02.04.2026
Great response to the 9th LEAD Science Day: Focus on mental health
Around 160 headteachers, teachers and LEAD partners accepted the invitation to attend the event on 27 March 2026 in the Alte Aula at the University of Tübingen.
The high level of interest underscored the relevance of this year’s key theme, ‘Mental health in everyday school life’, which is of equal concern to teachers and pupils alike.
The varied programme offered participants the latest findings from empirical educational research as well as practical guidance. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Trautwein (Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology / LEAD) kicked off the event with the provocative question “Does school make you ill?”. He emphasised that a supportive school culture and healthy teachers are the basic prerequisites for good teaching. As potential solutions, he advocated for the expansion of multi-professional teams, a fixed school day to provide more structure, and school environments that promote health.
Prof. Dr Tobias Renner (University Hospital Tübingen) took a closer look at the mental health of children and young people. He highlighted how pressure to perform, external crises, and the use of digital media all influence well-being. Instead of bans, he advocated for the targeted promotion of media literacy and self-regulation as key factors in resilience. In practical terms, he referred to low-threshold support services such as the Child Protection Hotline or the Youth Life Line.
In the subsequent workshops, specific topics ranging from ADHD and anorexia to preventive measures such as smartphone-free school playgrounds were explored in greater depth. At the same time, organisations such as the Tübingen School Psychology Advisory Service (ZSL) and tima e.V. presented their work at information stands.
The event was rounded off by a lecture from Prof. Dr Uta Klusmann (Humboldt University of Berlin). She highlighted the risk of burnout in the teaching profession and emphasised that emotional exhaustion – which particularly affects young teachers – has a direct impact on the quality of teaching and the relationships formed with pupils. Her conclusion: prevention must be addressed both at the individual level (e.g. stress management) and at the level of the school environment.
The LEAD Science Day takes place every two years and has become a fixture in the calendar of education professionals in the Tübingen region.
“Schwäbisches Tagblatt” was also in attendance, visited the workshop ‘The Resilience Compass for Schools and Development’ and reported in detail on the event:
https://www.swp.de/lokales/tuebingen/psychische-gesundheit-in-tuebingen-wie-gehts-dir-eigentlich-so-lernen-schueler-resilienz-78740857.html?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_action_bar
Media contact:
Kristina Laube
presse@lead.uni-tuebingen.de
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