There is strong evidence that university students report high levels of psychological stress. This paper reports on the development and implementation of a university-wide Student Mental Health Framework (SMHF) to foster student mental wellbeing in an Australian university. We outline the multi-layered systems approach and four key framework principles: recognising students as partners; integrating wellbeing into teaching and learning to drive academic success; aligning online and on-campus learning, social and operational environments to support wellbeing; and connecting students to services and supports and collaborating effectively with experts, stakeholders, and the sector itself. Mental wellbeing was recognised across eight domains: emotional, social, physical, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, financial, and digital.
First, a university-wide analysis of existing initiatives identified 124 wellbeing activities. Next, the SMHF was developed with input from a student consultative group. Lastly, several brainstorming sessions were held with the group to gather ideas on how best to improve student wellbeing. After reviewing the current state analysis and engaging with peers, the student group identified 138 proposed wellbeing actions for implementation. After preliminary analyses, 27 proposed actions were retained that— if implemented—were expected to have a lasting impact beyond 2025. Actions identified included: piloting a peer-led wellbeing support service; and providing clearer communications to neurodiverse students about accessing services.
Informed by this approach and evidence-based literature, we propose the development of a comparable conceptual framework and systemic implementation to enhance the mental wellbeing of university educators, who report high levels of stress due to factors in the teaching, institution, and external environment (Laundon & Grant-Smith, 2023). This healthy settings-based approach acknowledges the inherent complexity of university communities and that the health of university educators and students is intertwined (Okanagan Charter, 2015). The need for targeted strategies is critical so that a healthier workforce can provide better learning outcomes for students.