Within the framework of the presidential initiative: (A New Beginning for Human Development), the Faculty of Archaeology at Ain Shams University organized a lecture entitled: “Psychological Burnout and Its Impact on Mental and Physical Health and Academic Performance”, under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of the University, Prof. Hossam Tantawy, Dean of the Faculty, and the supervision of Dr. Nawal Jaber Mohamed, Acting Vice Dean of the Faculty for Education and Student Affairs, and the coordination of the Student Union.

Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Ahmed, a consultant in behavioral therapy, psychological and family counseling, gave a lecture. The lecture dealt with the concept of burnout, its dimensions, levels and phases, in addition to knowing the causes and sources leading to it, the symptoms and effects resulting from it; reaching strategies for dealing with it (prevention and treatment methods).

Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud explained that burnout has been linked to work since its inception; however, it has also crept into studying. Students do not work in jobs, but study and learning activities are considered (work); they attend school and perform various tasks or assignments, especially students who fall prey to the pressure of achieving the best and highest grades and reaching perfection in their studies, as they are prepared and ambitious and know their goal well, but at the same time they have difficulty managing time, arranging priorities and facing problems in a correct and appropriate manner, and they do not realize taking into account their abilities and individual differences between them.

His Excellency praised the faculty and its administration for providing its students with this important type of awareness lectures, as it is the way for students to realize the critical moments they may go through, especially in dealing with problems before they become more and more pressing, as prevention is better than cure.

At the end of the lecture, student Ahmed Mahmoud, head of the faculty’s student union, explained the importance of seminars and their role in raising student awareness. He also expressed his happiness with the university and faculty administration’s support for the union and its activities. He concluded his speech by thanking the union council for the coordination and organization.