Peer Learning Activities and Resources to Underpin the Principles and Guidelines for Social Dimension across the European Higher Education Area
Mental health framework
Project partners will develop a comprehensive action framework including a self-assessment tool and guidelines to support sustainable mental health strategies at the national and institutional levels.
Why prioritise student mental health?
Attending university can be stressful and involve significant lifestyle changes: adjusting to the demands of a new learning environment, interacting with a diverse range of new people and environments, and (coping with) being away from trusted support networks.
Although sixty per cent of students navigate higher education without emotional problems, the other forty per cent experience mental health issues, and approximately one in five struggle with mental disorders.
Manifestations such as binge drinking, eating disorders, and non-suicidal self-injury have steadily increased in recent years, suggesting that public authorities need to take bold action to prevent and treat students’ mental ill-health more effectively.
Mental Health as a Cross-Cutting Theme
Mental health was a recurring and integral theme throughout the project. It was consistently addressed across various activities and discussions:
- During all Peer Learning Activities, mental health was explicitly included as a key topic, allowing participants to exchange experiences, challenges, and promising practices.
- The final conference also dedicated special attention to mental health, featuring thematic sessions and contributions from experts and stakeholders.
This continuous focus reflects the project’s strong commitment to promoting inclusive and supportive learning environments in higher education across Europe.
Student mental health across Europe: towards a public mental health approach
The emotional health of students in Europe is receiving increased attention. In EUA's Expert Voices, Valérie Van Hees and Ronny Bruffaerts reflect on the existing European landscape and introduce the PLAR-U-PAGs project to support the implementation of sustainable policies across the EHEA.
MOODSPACE
MoodSpace is a place for students, which is packed with reliable information, tips and self-help tools to tackle emotional problems or to help you study confidently. It offers room for student stories and pep talks, and helps you find the help you need. It is the check to put your mental health first. But MoodSpace is also a place where you, as a friend, parent or staff member of a college or university, can discover what you can do.