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.

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

A young woman takes a deep breath at a laptop

Is authentic assessment leaving some students behind?

Does a more authentic assessment for some students mean an inauthentic experience for others? Here’s how to address this by adopting a student-focused lens

Sue Sharpe, Jennifer Z Sun

Australian National University, University of Sydney

Building a culture of care to support students’ mental health

Mental health support is a community-wide concern, which includes easy-to-access counselling, staff awareness and training, an empathetic environment and community hubs, writes Amy Epperley

Amy Epperley

Virginia Tech

Online should not mean offline for business lecturers

When online courses are delivered more or less to a prescribed script, this leaves little space for an educator’s personalised contribution and autonomy, writes Anita Wheeldon. Here, she makes the case against ‘teacherless pedagogy’

Anita Wheeldon

The University of Southern Queensland

How to prevent compassion fatigue

Many educators experience compassion fatigue at some point in their careers. Prevent it by shifting your perspective, setting boundaries and building strong support networks

Bhawana Shrestha

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Participants of a focus group chatting in a circle

Show students you care

When you prioritise well-being, your students will thank you for it. Show kindness by taking steps to reduce cognitive load and create a welcoming and engaging learning environment

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

Providing the right resources for students who work alongside study

Student services and scholarships are among the support systems that can help students manage a job in tandem with their university education

Cheong Fan

Macau University of Science and Technology

How to know when students need mental health assistance

Academic institutions have a rare opportunity to intervene to help students with mental health challenges, but this requires support and training for staff and faculty, writes Amy Epperley

Amy Epperley

Virginia Tech

Hands tearing off the letter "t" from the word "can't "

Fostering an ‘I can’ attitude in students

Challenging assumptions about competency and student independence and promoting self-reflection can foster agency, writes Megan Jones

Megan Jones

The University of East Anglia

British sign language users deserve a place in higher education

BSL users are under-represented in academia. What can we do to foster an inclusive environment for them?

Astrid Smallenbroek

University of the West of Scotland

How to transition from a student to a researcher mindset

Tips for developing a professional network, building resilience and making a realistic research career plan

Noman Mahtab

London College of Contemporary Arts

A woman gives a talk to a room of colleagues

A practical guide to better public speaking: part two

The second in a two-part series, here’s how to hone your public speaking skills, using the three Cs

Anna Christodoulou

University of Westminster

Using literature to increase students’ empathy

Asking students to reflect on emotions through literary works can enhance their empathy. Here are some tried and tested methods

Rouli Esther

The University of Indonesia

A speaker stands at a lectern with a microphone

A practical guide to better public speaking: part one

Getting through long, not-so-interesting talks is a common experience in academia. But if we all agree it can be done better, how can we start delivering better presentations?

Anna Christodoulou

University of Westminster

What Frankenstein’s monster can teach researchers about the dark side of ‘impact’

What can a 19th-century novelist tell academics about research ethics? Taking time to see the impact of research on ourselves is a good place to start measuring the social good of scholarly endeavours, writes Jennifer Allsopp

Jennifer Allsopp

University of Birmingham

Setting up an in-house mediation service at your university

Want to prevent conflict escalation? Make mediation a “first resort” option

Carol Platts

The University of Manchester

A group of students sitting in a circle while a teacher addresses them

How living with blepharospasm helped me become a better teacher

Read about a strategy that helped an educator living with an eye condition build emotional resilience and create a more inclusive classroom environment

Bhawana Shrestha

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A adult works at a laptop, while a small child plays with dinosaur toys on the keyboard

The small steps that can make a big difference to student parents

Juggling academic and parental commitments is no easy feat. Here’s how universities can make small, programme-level adjustments to relieve the pressure on student parents

Rebecca Gordon

University of the West of Scotland

Medical professional talking to a female patient

Yes, empathy can be taught – here’s how

Find out how evidence-based methods can be used to provide empathy training, bringing huge potential benefits for healthcare outcomes and busting the myth that it can’t be taught

Jeremy Howick

University of Leicester

A jigsaw puzzle shaped like a head, brightly coloured blocks emitting from it

How to support neurodivergent postgraduate researchers

How can universities ensure PhD students of all neurotypes can thrive? Here’s how to provide neurodiversity-affirmative supervision

Deborah Riby , Amy Pearson, Jess Hirst

Durham University

Can non-assessed creative play help students develop confidence and critical thinking?

Supporting and enhancing students’ drawing skills improves not only their visual communication but also their mental health and well-being. Chris Wright and Zoë Allman offer low-stakes ways to use creativity to build community

Chris Wright, Zoë Allman

De Montfort University

Why academics are losing sleep

Struggling to balance academic life with healthy sleep habits? Whether it’s a well-placed nap or giving grant writing a rest, this science-backed guide will help scholars, teachers and administrators get their full eight hours

Chin Moi Chow

University of Sydney

Older students at their desks at a university

How can universities encourage active ageing?

As life expectancies rise, universities must prepare to welcome more older students. Here are some ways to ensure institutions are inclusive spaces for these learners

Husnul Fitri

The University of Indonesia

A group of PhD students touch mortarboards

Four ways to enhance the postgraduate student experience

Postgraduate students are our future colleagues – let’s put ourselves in their shoes. Here are four ways to help your PhD students thrive in higher education

Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero

University of Leeds

An educator comforts a distressed student

Let’s embrace compassionate pedagogy for a more humane academy

How can we bridge the compassion gaps in the day-to-day experiences of students and staff in higher education? Kathryn Waddington and Bryan Bonaparte offer their solutions – and warn of the challenges we’re still facing

Kathryn Waddington, Bryan Bonaparte

University of Westminster

How higher education can lead the way in refugee resettlement

Higher education has an important role to play in the global refugee crisis. Here’s how a national initiative resettled refugees and helped them continue their education in their new home

Lauren M. London

Eastern Michigan University

Three male students laughing and chatting

We need to get to know our international students better

To create inclusive classrooms for international students, we must address bias and challenge assumptions. Here’s how

Meg Maclean

The University of Edinburgh

Structure of teepee against blue cloudy sky

Principles of Indigenous leadership and self-care in the academy

Indigenous leadership requires resilience, humility and self-awareness. These 10 principles offer a guide to cultivating wellness and fostering a supportive community

Chris Andersen

University of Alberta

Struggle, strength and growth: a holistic approach to embracing change

In preparing for their careers, students need skills to manage the demands that a changing world will place on their internal and external lives. These five stages aim to help them develop adaptability, resilience and psychological growth

Kathleen Chim, Lai Tsz Chui, Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Colouring in: a big-impact, low-budget support for student well-being

The simple activity of colouring in could be an easy, budget-friendly way for university educators and professionals to help students reduce stress and improve well-being

Emma Palmer-Cooper

University of Southampton

Make money management matter: five rules for cost-of-living communications

A finalist for THE’s Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team of the Year award shares strategies for leveraging data and insights to help students better manage their finances

Lauren Phillips

University of Leeds

An illustration of a man holding an umbrella while emotions rain down upon him

Psychological safety can be a positive, powerful influence on learning environments

In order for students to feel confident speaking up in class and flexing their creative muscles, educators must create a sense of psychological safety. Here are eight tips to do so

Jenny Moffett

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

A pair of surgical scissors are passed from one member of the surgical team to another

Making educational content open access can save lives

By making training resources for surgical professions available on an open access platform, RCSI and its partners are helping to address a huge number of preventable deaths each year. Find out how you can do something similar

Eric O'Flynn, Ines Perić

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Smiling Chinese college tutor at whiteboard

Setting boundaries for teachers’ well-being

Practising self-care and saying no can help university educators manage the increasing demands of teaching and find a sustainable work-life balance

Cheong Fan

Macau University of Science and Technology

Black students are succeeding in spite of academia, rather than because of it – we need a reset

The narrative that widening participation is enough is creating isolation and disillusionment among Black PhD students. How can universities move beyond it to empower Black academics?

William Ackah

Birkbeck, University of London

A student looks thoughtfully into the distance

Universities owe it to society to produce good citizens

Higher education’s role in creating the citizens of tomorrow’s world should not be underestimated. Here’s how to shape the leaders of the future and foster a sense of civic responsibility within them

Hind Lebdaoui

Al Akhawayn University

Frustrated student trying to understand her notes

How can we help students manage frustration and build resilience?

Help students not to become discouraged by poor exam results by instilling a growth mindset, helping them plan their time and encouraging self-reflection

Agustina Ortelli

Universidad Austral

Campus talks: how can universities ensure students are safe and supported?

A discussion of universities’ duty of care towards students, from tackling sexual misconduct to ensuring they feel supported in their studies

Rachel Fenton, Catherine Moran

The University of Exeter, University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Clock drawn on blackboard, time management

Around or against the clock: time management tips for higher education teachers

Careful lesson planning, understanding your universities’ support services and accepting mistakes will all save you time as a university educator. Here, John Weldon offers five time-management tips

John Weldon

Victoria University

Welcome! Now what?

A course induction can be more than an information-giving session in the student welcome timetable. It can introduce students to the practice of reflection on short- and long-term goals and what they want to achieve, writes Marianne Savory

Marianne Savory

Leeds University Business School

Man covering his eyes in front of his laptop

To trigger-warn or not to trigger-warn: that is the question

An instructor subjectively defines what they consider triggering, so how useful are they and how can we get trigger warnings right?

Daniella Sieukaran

Dalhousie University

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