Mental health in the tertiary student population can have a major influence on academic achievement. While studies have been conducted to identify the factors associated with students’ mental health, there is a gap in the available literature regarding tertiary students in New Zealand. The present survey, Kei Te Pai?, aims to fill this gap and was conducted by the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) on tertiary students across Aotearoa to form an overview the state of tertiary students’ mental health in New Zealand.

Read more here.

"Mental health difficulties can beset anyone at any time, although it is recognised that many of the transition points in life can be particularly challenging. For some students an unfamiliar higher education environment can be very stressful, particularly for those who already have an underlying illness. Higher education institutions therefore take student mental health seriously ... Universities UK commissioned the Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Working Group to update the existing guidance, drawing on evidence and practice from within the higher education sector and reports from government and the health and voluntary sectors. This guidance has been written for senior leaders and managers, and aims to support institutions in their promotion of mental wellbeing and in the support they provide for students experiencing mental health difficulties."

To read more, see the full guide here.

This website describes a Universities UK campaign to encourage universities to "work in close partnership with parents, schools and employers to prepare students for transitions and with the NHS to coordinate care for students." 

It also holds that "universities should adopt mental health as a strategic priority, implementing a whole university approach, with students and staff involved at all stages of the journey."

For more information, see the link here. 

Levels of mental illness, mental distress and low wellbeing among students in higher education in the UK are increasing, and are high relative to other sections of the population ... The higher education sector and government both have an interest in helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of students. Universities should make the issue a strategic priority and adopt a ‘whole-university’ approach based on prevention and promotion, early intervention and low-level support, responding to risk and crisis management, and referral into specialist care. There is currently too much variation in the extent to which universities are equipped to meet this challenge. This sector-led approach should be complemented by strengthened NHS provision and new government initiatives to ensure that no student is held back by their mental health. 

A report by the World Government Summit, in collaboration with the International Positive Education Network. "Positive education views school as a place where students not only cultivate their intellectual minds, but also develop a broad set of character strengths, virtues, and competencies, which together support their well-being [...] This report is broken into five sections: one leader’s perspective and introduction to positive education and its history; case studies from primary, secondary, and tertiary schools around the world that are actively implementing positive education; and policy perspectives on positive education."

The report can be found here.

"The Survey of Work and Wellbeing in the Tertiary Education Sector surveyed academic and support staff from New Zealand universities, polytechnics, technical institutes and wananga. Almost 3,000 respondents completed the survey, the majority of whom were union members. The findings detailed in this report paint a picture of deteriorating wellbeing, with intensifying workloads and reduced satisfaction with work in the sector."

Full report available here

"The main aim was to review the effectiveness of population or settings-based strategies and approaches for promoting the mental wellbeing of students and staff within universities. This policy brief focuses on the papers relating specifically to mental health outcomes (around a third of the papers reviewed). The remaining two thirds of papers were focused on alcohol, tobacco or other drugs; we have included a short summary of these papers in the ‘Discussion’ section."

Full report available here

"Based on the evidence generated by Healthy Sydney University, a healthy university: − encourages people to move more and be physically active; − supports mental wellbeing; − provides a healthy food and beverage environment; and − embeds health across all areas of the organisation."

Full report available here

"Tau Ora is a holistic organisational wellness programme developed at Te Wananga o Aotearoa. The programme was launched in 2007 and has been hugely successful with more than 50% of staff engaging with the programme each year."

Website available here

"The Wellbeing in Higher Education Network (WiHEN) promotes the exchange of ideas, collaboration and supportive relationships for practitioners applying, and researching the application of, wellbeing science, organisational and positive psychology, and positive education in tertiary and higher education environments."

Website available here

"This paper will present the following: 1. The post-secondary mental health challenge and rationale for institutional action; 2. The scope of the challenge at UBC; 3. Guidance from the literature, best practices research and key organizations on the components of a successful campus mental health strategy; 4. Overview of the draft UBC Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy; 5. Discussion of current mental health initiatives at UBC; 6. Discussion of priority actions and next steps under the UBC Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy"

Full discussion paper available here

This resource provides a research summary and recommendations for tertiary settings to encourage positive mental health and wellbeing. These recommendations include considering alternate academic strategies, infusing mental health knowledge and skills in the curriculum, developing and promoting the use of eHealth technologies, building healthy physical environments.

Full resource available here

These presentations were from "two conferences regarding student mental health and wellbeing. The conferences provided an opportunity for colleagues from across the higher education and mental health sectors to come together and discuss how higher education providers can strategically respond to the growing demand from students for services and provision."

Presentations available here (scroll to the bottom of the page)

This resources was developed "to help college and university professionals develop a comprehensive plan to promote the mental health of their campus communities and support students who are struggling emotionally or are distressed... It is part of the CampusMHAP series that includes four free webinars."

Report available here

This website highlights the work of The Jed Foundation which is focused on emotional health and suicide prevention amongst tertiary students. This website offers a variety of resources, programmes, and information for parents, students and staff. 

Website available here