Higher education: student and staff wellbeing and mental health

There is a lot of interest in what can be done to improve student mental health and wellbeing in higher and further education. We have been working with Universities UK, Student Minds, Student Mental Health Research Network (SMaRteN) Office for Students and Universities of East Anglia and Liverpool and Brunel University London to support learning from what’s being done so well-intentioned action doesn’t do harm and we build on what’s already know.  From our work on adult learning with University of East Anglia we identified an evidence gap on student mental health and wellbeing interventions.

We worked with University of Liverpool to do a Review of Reviews on Student Mental Health and Wellbeing interventions. 

Here is an overview of other evidence relevant for Higher and Further Education in partnership with Universities UK.

Mental health matters to overall wellbeing at all stages of life and its impact is relatively big. There is growing interest in taking action to improve mental health, and promote wellbeing, in a wide range of organisations including in Higher and Further Education.

Through research and clinical education universities and colleges play an important role in improving mental health and wellbeing in the UK. How universities and colleges create the conditions for those studying and working there, like in schools, workplaces and communities, is now getting greater
attention and funding.

Making sure that what is done is effective, cost-effective and, even if well-intentioned, doesn’t cause harm, is now a priority. This research aims to establish the global evidence base for all sectors to build on.

Culture and sport

• Sport, dance and young people
• Music, singing and wellbeing, including findings for young people

Employment transitions

• Finding and keeping work impact of wellbeing
• Unemployement and (re)employement
• Careers: what’s wellbeing like in different jobs?

Mental health treatment, early intervention

From the Centre

• Visual arts for mental health
• Music & Singing for those with diagnosed conditions

From other sources:

• Social & Emotional Skills for life and work (Early Intervention Foundation)
• Mental health and wellbeing guidelines (NICE)

Staff wellbeing

From the Centre:

• Overview employee wellbeing
• Wellbeing learning at work
• Team working/social connection at work
• Belonging at work and resilient organisations
• Retirement
• Job quality
• What is a good job?

From other sources:

• CIPD UK working lives job quality analysis
• Mindfulness at work evidence

Learning

Evidence from the Centre:

• Adult learning
• Wellbeing benefits of job related learning

Evidence from other sources:

• Apprenticeships – evidence informed guidance on take up and completion of apprenticeships (What Works for Local Growth)
• Employment training programmes – what to include for them to be effective and how to get high take up and completion (What Works Centre for Local Growth)
• Post 16 English & Maths attainment (Early Education Foundation)