Collectively, we must prioritise the wellbeing and mental health of our students – there is no negotiation on this. Over the summer, I co-hosted a student mental health summit at the University of the West of England, Bristol, alongside their vice chancellor Steve West, who is leading by example with his commitment to transforming mental health provision services at his institution. This included the development of a new Charter, led by the charity Student Minds, to develop new standards for universities when it comes to supporting student mental health. The Charter will go live in the academic year 2019/20, but it is time for universities to act now and use this new academic year to review their mental health practices and ensure they are fit for purpose. Tackling mental health challenges cannot be something that belongs to the wellbeing department of a university – it requires sustained and serious leadership from the top.

Source: Huffington Post September 16, 2018 07:18 UTC