Jatinangor – December 6, 2025. Students from Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad) have once again achieved a proud milestone during the 2025 Unpad Academic Week (Pekan Akademik or Pakuan). An interdisciplinary collaborative team led by Iwan Ridwan Ramdani from the Library and Information Science Study Program, alongside Achmad Faruq Mahdison (Informatics) and Aliya Nur Alifah (Dentistry), successfully secured 2nd Place in the Innovative Essay Competition. They presented a visionary concept titled “From Hope to Meaning: Transforming Unpad’s P2K2 through the Nara Jiwa Community as a Collective Student Mental Health Movement.”
The innovation proposed in this essay is the “Nara Jiwa – Peer Narratives” program, a digital-based safe space specifically designed for the campus environment. This program serves as a preventive intervention solution, allowing students to manage academic, social, and emotional pressures anonymously and with empathy. By utilizing Progressive Web App technology and educational social media, Nara Jiwa is positioned as an initial bridge for students before they decide to access direct professional services.
The primary goal of developing Nara Jiwa is to increase mental health literacy and strengthen the “help-seeking behavior” culture among students. By integrating a peer-based emotional support system into the services of Unpad’s Center for Character Strengthening and Counseling (P2K2), the team hopes to create an inclusive and responsive psychological support ecosystem. This collective movement is expected to transform the campus culture into an environment that is more caring and aware of the importance of psychological well-being in the digital age.
The team’s journey to the podium was filled with both technical and emotional challenges. Intensive preparation was carried out in just three days prior to the registration deadline. The differing academic backgrounds of the team members required extraordinary coordination, with essay discussions often lasting late into the night to align their busy schedules. For Iwan, the team leader, integrating the perspective of information science with mental health issues was a profound learning process that required extensive information exploration.
On the day of the presentation, the team faced a difficult situation as one member, Aliya, was unable to attend due to health reasons. Although the presentation was conducted only by Iwan and Faruq, the team’s spirit remained high. Iwan, who is experienced in competitions, worked to calm Faruq during his competitive debut. To manage the tension while waiting for the results, they even engaged in relaxing activities, such as watching a movie and eating together, as a form of appreciation for their hard work.
Securing second place came as a surprise and a validation for the team. Despite being prepared in a very short time by members from diverse backgrounds, their high sense of curiosity yielded significant results. This achievement is hoped to be more than just an academic record, but a real step toward supporting the sustainability of mental health programs at Universitas Padjadjaran.
Author: Iwan Ridwan Ramdani
