Useful links
Policy_
Student mental wellbeing
Prioritising the mental wellbeing of our students
The Student Mental Wellbeing Strategy provides a comprehensive and sustainable approach to furthering mental wellbeing for all of our students.
The University acknowledges that students entering post-secondary education face multifaceted challenges.
In Australia and globally, young people between 16–24 years of age are at increased risk of mental health difficulties, with more than 75% of adult mental illnesses emerging before the age of 25 years*.
The majority of university students are in this high-risk age group and face the additional challenge of limited access to high-quality services due to high demand.
Our vision
Our vision is to create an inclusive and open University community that embraces a holistic, proactive, and student-centric focus on student mental wellbeing.
Through an institution-wide approach, the University of Sydney is committed to delivering learning environments and organisational cultures that support student mental wellbeing. The strategy and its implementation are based on evidence-based approaches wherever possible and the University supports initiatives to address gaps.
Our strategy
The Student Mental Wellbeing Strategy (pdf, 652KB) is intricately linked with the University’s values, which promote a University-wide culture where our community can flourish and thrive.
Informed by these values, we envision an approach to mental wellbeing that is proactive, evidence-based, and grounded in participant co-design, recognising the intersectional nature of experiences and identities. This approach meets the needs of the diverse student cohort through a staged, triaged approach to care provision across the student population.
Over the past 10 years, there has been a range of initiatives to enhance the wellbeing of students and staff in the University community which have contributed to a collective desire to take the next steps into a more cohesive strategy in the area of mental wellbeing.
The Student Mental Wellbeing Strategy (pdf, 652KB) has been developed through a consultative process with key subject matter experts and stakeholders including students and student organisations, the Brain and Mind Centre, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Abuse, the School of Psychology, the National Centre for Cultural Competence, and Student Support Services.
It was endorsed by the University Executive and Senate People & Culture Committee in June 2020. The development and implementation of the Strategy is led by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Life) Professor Susanna Scarparo and overseen by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education).
The core framework in the strategy draws on a collection of well-known blueprints for mental health promotion and spans the following themes:
- Mental wellbeing embedded in all aspects of university life
- Inclusive and supportive campus culture and environment
- Mental wellbeing practices promoted throughout the student experience
- A proactive approach to student needs and integrated delivery of care
- Individual progress planning and crisis intervention
- Research, innovation and evidence-based practice
The implementation of the strategy is guided by an Advisory Group, which was formed to consult on strategic initiatives and chaired by Professor Susanna Scarparo, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Life).
This group consists of University students, staff, world-leading experts in mental wellbeing, key University stakeholders, and the following chairs of the working groups:
- Policy: Associate Professor Peter McCallum
- Student support and programs: Jamie Gray, Manager of Wellbeing Services
- Enabling staff to support students: Professor Kathryn Refshauge
- Evaluation and measurement: Associate Professor Claire Ashton-James
To find out more about the program or how to get involved, contact pvc.student-life@sydney.edu.au.
Several initiatives have been successfully delivered since the Student Mental Wellbeing Strategy launched in August 2020, including:
Establishment of Wellbeing Services
The Wellbeing Services team has been established and are responsible for the triage, intake and coordination of students of concern and managing Student Critical Incidents in line with the Student Critical Incident Procedures 2022.
Batyr
The University has partnered with Batyr, a youth-led organisation focused on reducing mental health stigma and increasing help-seeking. Programs delivered for students and student-facing staff. Student programs are embedded in curriculum where possible.
TalkCampus
We have partnered with TalkCampus, an app that provides students with free and instant mental health and wellbeing support anytime of the day, anywhere in the world in 25 languages.
Student Mental Wellbeing Line
Supplements delivery of one-to-one counselling by Student Counselling Service out of business hours through the provision of crisis support.
Webpage for students studying offshore
Provides a one-stop-shop for information, resources and events.
Peer Support Advisor program
Trained students fluent in English and Mandarin to provide on-demand support and information to fellow students via Zoom and online chat.
Innowell
A digital platform to help students and staff seek and access the right resources and support at the right time to improve their physical and mental health.
Sonder for all international students
A digital platform that connects international students to wellbeing and safety supports.
- Australian University Mental Health Framework and Summary: A mental health framework for universities in Australia.
- A Framework for Promoting Student Mental Wellbeing in Universities: A framework for assisting institutions to develop a ‘whole-of-university’ approach by identifying key action areas for promoting student mental health and wellbeing as well as institutional enablers for achieving those actions.
- Post-Secondary Student Mental Health: Guide to a Systemic Approach: A framework for addressing student mental health in post-secondary institutions in Canada. The framework outlined here is used in different universities around Australia.
- A policy brief for promoting mental wellbeing in universities (pdf, 413KB): A policy brief to assist the University of Sydney and other institutions in developing university-wide and population-based strategies to promote and support the mental wellbeing of students and staff.
- Setting-based interventions to promote mental health Systematic Review: A systematic review on the literature on organizations strategies to promote mental health at university.
- The wicked problem of university student mental health: Key findings and recommedations from a Winston Churchill Trust fellowship for how Australia can improve the student mental health status quo, based on research in the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom.
- Development of guidelines for tertiary education institutions to assist them in supporting students with a mental illness: A Delphi consensus study with Australian professionals and consumers on what is important to include in university mental health guidelines.
- Under the radar - The mental health of Australian University Students: An overview of student mental health in universities, policies, outlines approaches to supporting student mental health within universities, and implications.
- Enhancing student mental wellbeing: A handbook for academic educators: A handbook that outlines factors impacting student wellbeing, curriculum design of universities and its impact, teaching strategies, how to have difficult conversations with students, and how to maintain wellbeing as an educator.
- The Okanagan Charter for health promoting universities and colleges, developed in 2015 (pdf, 2.7MB): An outcome of the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges / VII International Congress.