Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has been suffering an upswing in mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression, especially among young people. In this context, the IAU SDG 3 Cluster on Health and Wellbeing, led by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) eHealth Center in collaboration with the International Association of Universities (IAU), has been exploring the various ways in which universities support mental health at their institutions and within their university communities.
This work has culminated in the holding of two global webinars, on 1 and 3 October 2024, ahead of Mental Health Day, which focused on innovation, best practices, current challenges and plans for the future.
Lessons learned and success stories
The partner universities were given a platform to share not only the lessons they have learned but also the success they have achieved in promoting mental health. Western Sydney University (WSU), Australia, stood out with its four-pillar framework for mental health, encompassing prevention, promotion, early intervention, and systemic response.
Steve Lee, Manager of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team at WSU, spoke of the need for a comprehensive, community-driven approach: “Our strategy identifies systemic opportunities for staff and students to co-create plans that recognize our resilience as a community, promote safety and wellbeing, and prevent illness through early intervention and systemic response.” This approach underlines the importance of working collectively, which has been a significant factor in achieving success in mental health initiatives.
Ellen Brackenreg, Executive Director of Equity, Diversity, Safety and Wellbeing at WSU, further emphasized the value of collaboration and listening: “One of the key learnings is that we have to listen to the voice of the lived experience. We must co-create programmes with our staff and students, taking the time to understand what will make a real difference to them.” These reflections illustrate a significant shift towards user-driven programme development, which has proven to be a successful model for ensuring that initiatives genuinely meet the needs of those involved.
Innovation and best practices
Galuh Suryandari, a PhD candidate in Medical Education at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia, shared an inspiring example of how innovation is prioritized in Indonesia: “Our university is fully committed to supporting the government in ensuring the mental health of its students, starting from promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative programmes. We have also developed a guidebook to operationalize the workflow for preventing and overcoming mental health problems, accessible to all students through our website.”
Joy Louise Gumikiriza-Onoria, a clinical psychologist and PhD candidate at the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda, shed light on a unique perspective regarding the role of educators in mental health: “The teaching staff are the first point of contact with the students, so we have a role in supporting the mental health of these students. If there's a possibility of having the staff members trained to identify the early signs of mental health issues – such as absenteeism, notable declines in academic performance, or changes in behaviour – we can better support our students.” This example highlights an area of opportunity for universities to innovate: empowering educators as early responders in the mental health support system.
“Prevention, active listening and leadership support for mental health are essential.”
Challenges and future directions
Alba Pérez González, a Professor of the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at the UOC, emphasized the need to address specific vulnerabilities faced by students: “It is urgent and necessary that we start implementing services that focus on students and involve them from the very beginning to change that sense of vulnerability when they identify that something is not right but don't know what to do about it.” The challenge lies in creating services that are not only accessible but also directly involve the students, thereby fostering a culture of resilience.
Gustavo Pacheco López, Coordinator of Engagement and Internationalization at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico, presented a model for university wellbeing built upon four dimensions: emotional, spatial, sociocultural, and occupational. His perspective suggests that the wellbeing of a university is a collective, ongoing experience, which requires continuous engagement from all sectors of the institution.
Óscar Mauricio Castaño Ramírez, a psychiatrist in the Department of Mental Health and Human Behaviour at Universidad de Caldas, Colombia, discussed the importance of protective factors in mitigating mental health issues. The recognition of these protective factors provides a foundation for building future programmes that aim not just to address mental health challenges but to foster resilience in students.
“For me, the conversations illustrated that awareness around mental health challenges in universities is increasing, especially since the COVID pandemic. And it’s important to acknowledge and appreciate what is already being done to support students and staff. At the same time, the call to action for increased leadership and a combination of more preventive and integrated approaches, together with more targeted ones, came out very strongly,” said Liv Raphael, IAU SDG 3 Cluster Lead at the UOC.
The two webinars also included the participation of Manel Jiménez, UOC Vice Rector for Alliances, Community and Culture; Marta Aymerich, Director of the eHealth Center; Pam Fredman, IAU Immediate Past President and board member; and Isabel Toman, Programme Officer for HESD at the IAU and Coordinator of the IAU HESD Cluster. You can watch both the first session and the second session.
The UOC's commitment to mental health
The UOC is committed to promoting the mental health of its staff through its Psychological Support Service. This online service for UOC staff and doctoral students offers guidance on personal, family, social, relationship and sexual problems, as well as emotional support in complex or upsetting situations. In addition, the service provides technical advice to the Prevention Service and any UOC groups that need it.
This initiative reflects the UOC's alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being.
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