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Building Resilient Academic Communities
A Strategic Approach to Addressing Student Mental Health in Universities
Universities worldwide struggle with rising student mental health issues, most commonly depression and anxiety. Students often feel unsupported and disadvantaged, creating an urgent need for better integration and support systems. Teaching staff, often the first point of contact for students, lack the skills and resources to effectively identify and assist struggling students. Time constraints and limited knowledge and understanding on this topic further hinder their ability to offer meaningful help.Yet they often play a key role for the students concerned in successfully completing their studies.
The use of the word ‘problem’ is somewhat controversial for some people- often having a negative impact. We could use the word ‘concern’ for a more caring term.
Aims to develop flexible training programmes for teaching staff at universities and colleges in order to better support students experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depressionincluding focussing on boundaries, identifying possible warning signs, active listening, offering appropriate support, conversational skills and relevant signposting.
In addition to the joint development of training modules, the participating European higher educational institutions engage in a fundamental dialogue on the design of inclusive learning environments with regard to mental health beyond that of student wellbeing services, of which are overwhelmed. This includes investing in creating supportive and inclusive environments, providing comprehensive staff training on mental health support, and actively combating stigma while expanding accessible resources. By taking these crucial steps, universities can not only improve student well-being but also foster a thriving academic community that benefits everyone.
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