INFTA has been awarded another grant by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Region in Victoria. The proposed research project termed “Effective Stress Reduction in Nature” aims at effectively bringing down stress levels of international students to improve their mental and physical health. It is part of the Study Melbourne Inclusion Program which has funded 162 projects to the value of $7.3 million and supported more than 235,000 international students since its inception in 2015.
INFTA leads a consortium of researchers and executive staff from Deakin University, RMIT, Federation University and the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Free Forest Therapy sessions will not only be offered to international students in Melbourne but also, as a major step forward, in Ballarat and Geelong so that students studying at regional campuses can also take part. Data collection is scheduled for the second half of 2025. Ethics clearance for this important clinical trial will be sought from the regional health provider, Barwon Health. We thank Study Melbourne for its ongoing support.
