Mental health and well-being

Advice on effective mental health support for students and staff to create a happier, healthier campus. Find out how universities and academics can promote well-being, protect their campus community from spiralling stress, minimise the risk of burnout and build resilience - from institutional practices that create a culture of care to personal self-care tips and healthy habits for overworked academics and students.

An unseen woman doing sums with a calculator

How university financial support teams can bolster student mental health

Universities must treat financial support as central to student well-being. By fostering open conversations and offering proactive, tailored guidance, institutions can ease financial stress, build resilience and improve the student experience

Ian Ashley

University of Chester

Spotlight guide: Make mental health a university priority

Make good mental health a university priority

With poor mental health now rife across higher education, what can be done to create a supportive campus environment that strengthens well-being and resilience among university students and staff?

Laura Duckett, Campus contributors

Campus

How to build unbreakable self-confidence: an academic’s guide

A strong foundation of professional self-confidence is crucial when treading the academic career path. Follow these five tips to cement yours

Ayten Erçoban Evren

Near East University

Multiracial group of three university students

How student feedback and planning shape a high-impact orientation programme

Orientation week should not be about institutional formality but about human connection, writes Anusha Nataru. An engaging, effective programme requires careful pacing, warmth and inbuilt capacity to respond to student feedback

Anusha Nataru

Aditya University

A person selling baked goods at a fundraising event

How community events can improve staff and student well-being

Regular, inclusive community events can play a vital role in improving mental health and well-being for both students and staff in higher education. Read about how simple, low-cost activities can foster connection, ease pressure and build a stronger university culture

Janine Wilkinson, Jean-Charles de Coriolis

The University of East Anglia

A man sits in darkness, illuminated by a smartphone that blocks his face from view

Four questions to ask to detect false news online

Even those working in higher education can fall for misinformation. Ask these four questions to get better at zeroing in on false news

Peter Cunliffe-Jones

University of Westminster

The evolution of student onboarding

On-demand, just-in-time digital onboarding can help students filter the vast array of information they receive when they start university, and set them up for success

Cory Elfrink

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Students raise their hands in a lecture hall

Make interdisciplinary research accessible to everyone

Short courses can give members of the public insight into cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, focusing on issues related to their daily lives. Here’s how to put them into place

Qingyan Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

International students laugh together on campus

Tips to help international students feel at home from day one

Tim Hewes-Belton offers advice on designing bespoke welcome activities for international students to help them settle into UK university life

Tim Hewes-Belton

Loughborough University

A woman looking relaxed sitting at her desk

The Chinese framework that can build student resilience

The HeXie framework can help students solve problems and build a sense of unity with their environment – an essential skill in uncertain times. Discover the theory behind it and how to nurture it to support student resilience

Dan Wang, Yuchen Wu

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Tap into game dynamics in nurse training

Learn lessons from the gaming world to structure nursing courses, strengthening student engagement and improving pass rates

Caroline Barau, Magali Vergnes

Université Paris-Est Créteil

Why parents and carers networks matter to university staff

Advocacy, activities, peer support and safe spaces are among the reasons to institute a network for university faculty and staff with caring responsibilities

Claire Partridge

University of Southampton

The tough lessons that build resilience in forensic science students

To avoid causing students unnecessary harm when teaching sensitive topics, consider a trauma-informed approach. Carrie Mullen outlines how

Carrie Mullen

University of the West of Scotland

Three reasons why university libraries are key to belonging

The university library occupies a unique place in the campus community. Find out the three reasons it’s integral to the creation of an inclusive learning environment in higher education

Bethany Wilkes

Hong Kong Baptist University

What trauma-informed practice can learn from EDI in higher education

Equity, diversity and inclusion work reminds us that trauma doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Here are insights from EDI that can enrich trauma-informed practice

Maree Martinussen, Sarah O’Shea

Charles Sturt University

Equality on campus starts in the toilets

With diversity, equity and inclusion policies under threat, there’s a simple and cost-effective change universities can make for a trans-inclusionary, accessible campus

Deanna Grant-Smith , Anne Hewitt , Loki Maelorin, Chisom Ihekwaba

Adelaide University, University of the Sunshine Coast

Forget climate anxiety – let’s foster climate confidence

Combine research and administrative duties to tap into how students are feeling about climate change – and use your findings to help them gain the skills, and confidence, to tackle it head-on

Léa Chambaudet

Université Paris-Est Créteil

A student wears headphones while on a Zoom call

Why mattering matters in practice education and leadership placements

Make students feel they matter in non-clinical facing placements to create the authentic and compassionate leaders the healthcare sector of the future needs. Here’s how

Helen Carr

Canterbury Christ Church University

Build better doctors with programmatic assessment

Programmatic assessment offers a better way to train doctors, making them more resilient and giving them the tools to manage their own professional development. Gozie Offiah explains how it works

Gozie Offiah

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Students respectfully debate an issue in the classroom

Don’t fear conflict in the classroom: foster respectful discussion instead

How do we have meaningful conversations about divisive topics, while dealing with the emotions these debates may spark? Lea Sitkin outlines several strategies to give students the space to explore issues they care about

Lea Sitkin

University of Westminster

Use coaching to help students juggle the pressures of academic life

Academic expectations and personal responsibilities are crushing students’ mental health. Could coaching offer them a way to take control of their own learning?

Bavani Divo, May Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

The economics of belonging: a new way of thinking about student success

Rising costs of living and tuition mean that US university students may prioritise career and economic factors rather than self-actualisation as a reason to remain at a university

Richard Tomczak

Stony Brook University

Three ways to address students’ climate anxiety

While higher education has made progress with greener campuses and remote working, providing students with an education that can respond to the climate crisis will be more challenging. Here’s how educators can tackle climate anxiety

Rob Amos

Birkbeck, University of London

A student with a guitar surrounded by others smiling

Make your Freshers’ Week activities sing

Songwriting sessions, treasure hunts and biscuit decorating are among the creative Freshers’ Week activities that help students build self-confidence, connect with others and ease the transition to university life

Helen Eadon-Sinkinson

University of Chester

Campus talks: the complex factors that drive students’ sense of belonging

An expert in student belonging and engagement in the digital environment explains the nuances of belonging, mattering and inclusion as well as how to foster well-being in higher education

Karen Gravett

University of Surrey

Build belonging, with or without a centralised campus

How can young universities foster a sense of belonging in their students, given they may be operating across several different campuses? Here are some of the ways you can create community

Asmidah Ong, Darren Tan, Duane Ong

Singapore Institute of Technology

A woman holds her head in her hands over a laptop screen

Be aware of the invisible baggage of poverty your students carry

We need to acknowledge the realities of poverty and inequality, and the trauma it leaves our students with. Here are six principles to make higher education more inclusive

Jordan Donnelly

University of the West of Scotland

Are we overlooking the power of autonomy when it comes to motivating students?

Educators fear giving students too much choice in their learning will see them making the wrong decisions. But structuring choice without dictating the answers could be the way forward

Danny Oppenheimer

Carnegie Mellon University

Exterior of the Newman Library at Virginia Tech

How to put joy at the centre of the university library

The role of the university library is poised for re-evaluation – not just as an academic hub but as a space where connection, belonging and access can come alive in everyday ways. Pro tip: cake and dogs help. Kayla McNabb explains

Kayla McNabb

Virginia Tech

‘Resilience isn’t innate – it is a skill that can be learned’

Core aspects of university life – education, encouragement and experience – are key to cultivating belonging and resilience in students. Here, Paulin Straughan explains how a framework of programmes and activities brings them together

Paulin Straughan

Singapore Management University

An illustration of hands untangling threads in someone's head

Graduate apprenticeship students are facing a perfect mental health storm

Graduate apprenticeships are booming, but the pressure of holding a full-time job while working towards a degree can take a toll on apprentices’ mental health. Here’s what universities and employers can do

Gary Gillon, Alan MacDonald

University of the West of Scotland

A women's sports team from behind holding a trophy

Extracurricular activities are powerful tools for building belonging

Encourage students to get involved in societies, participate in sports and engage in formal extracurricular programmes to foster a sense of belonging within the student community

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

Common barriers to belonging and how to overcome them

Belonging in higher education goes beyond access – it’s about feeling seen, valued and supported. This resource explores the barriers that prevent true inclusion and offers ways to create a more welcoming academic culture

Bhawana Shrestha

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Coco the Therapy dog in the Templeman Library on University of Kentcampus

Ask students what mental health support they need

A student-led advisory board can help universities understand what services students will use and how they prefer to engage with support

Ryan Wong

University of Kent

A teacher guides students through an activity

Build empathy with your students – and grow as an academic

Find out simple ways to develop empathy in your interactions with students, and the effect it can have on your teaching as a whole

Oshan Uluşan

Near East University

Navigating global uncertainty together: reframing our approach to control

In an ever-changing academic landscape, focusing on what we can – and can’t – control and influence helps us build resilience. Here, Imogen and Jay offer practical tips and strategies to help you feel more engaged

Imogen Varle, Jay Cotton

De Montfort University

The path towards a tobacco-free campus

For the health of students and staff and the good of the planet, a tobacco-free campus is the only option for a modern university. Özen Aşut shares how the efforts of her students prompted real change in northern Cyprus

Özen Aşut

Near East University

Campus talks: how to look after yourself in higher education

Personal insights from a range of higher education voices on how they preserve their own well-being

Multiple authors

Campus

Three ways to spot someone struggling – and six ways to support them

Institutional policies can only go so far when it comes to mental health. Find out how to spot a student or colleague in crisis – and what you can do to help

Sumbal Riaz, Aqsa Khan, Soha Saifulla

Dubai Medical University

A young woman puts her hand to her temple at her laptop

What will it take to find a real solution for the student mental health crisis?

Fixing the student mental health crisis will require systemic change, not just individual coping strategies. Here’s how to take action and foster a culture that puts well-being before academic achievement

Sadaf Majeed, Umamah Rehman , Maria Faisal

Dubai Medical University

Students holding hands around a glowing orb

Not all students want to fit in, but every student wants to matter

Making students feel they matter can dramatically improve lecture attendance. Here are ways to do it

Celine Caquineau

The University of Edinburgh

Create an environment where good mental health can thrive

How can surroundings affect the mental health of students and staff? Follow these tips to make sure the university environment supports mental well-being

Altyngul Borantay

Nazarbayev University

Students in a group walking together on campus

Creating a culture of belonging with inclusive pedagogy

Building cultural humility and meaningful relationships with students are two of several strategies to foster belonging in students from minoritised backgrounds

Yusra Siddiqui , Musarrat Maisha Reza

The University of Exeter

A young woman talks to a therapist earnestly

How to scale up well-being and support services

With demand for student support services skyrocketing since the pandemic, how can universities address this need? Discover five ways to scale up

Kate Wigham

Loughborough University

College student hiding face under book, exam stress

Beyond exam panic: rethinking the purpose of assessments

If students frame assessments in terms of stress, not learning, this raises the question: are universities evaluating students’ growth or simply their ability to perform under pressure?

Rahim Somani

University of Northern British Columbia

Wooden blocks, one with the word "empthy" inscribed on it

What does empathy look like in the classroom?

How to demonstrate empathy for students – and self – to improve classroom interactions and ensure equity

Neha Wadhwa

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Students engage in a lively classroom debate

Let’s make the university a safe space to discuss sensitive topics

Public debate is becoming ever more polarised, both on and offline. But higher education has an opportunity to lay out a blueprint for healthy dialogue, starting in our classrooms – here’s how to do it

Carolina Sanchez-Agostini, Juan Pablo Cannata

Universidad Austral

Illustration of head jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing

What trauma-informed practice is not

Before trauma-informed care can be the norm across all areas of the university, academic and professional staff need to understand what it is. Here, three academics debunk myths and demystify best practice

Kate Cantrell, India Bryce, Jessica Gildersleeve

The University of Southern Queensland

Nurturing supervisor-supervisee relationships

How to foster productive supervisor-supervisee relationships and address challenges when they arise

Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou , Stephanie Dunn

Manchester Metropolitan University

The power of positivity: how a simple question went viral

The viral success of a social media post offers insights on how universities can use simple, authentic and emotionally resonant content to drive engagement and strengthen community

Andrew Lam, Riley Phillips

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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